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NOVEMBER 2008
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editorial officesProfessional Photographer
229 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 2200, Atlanta, GA 30303-1608 U.S.A.404-522-8600; FAX: 404-614-6406
Professional Photographer (ISSN 1528-5286) is published monthly subscriptions
Professional Photographer P.O. Box 2035, Skokie, IL 60076; 800-742-7468;
FAX 404-614-6406; email: [email protected]; Web site: www.ppmag.commember services
PPA - Professional Photographer 800-786-6277; FAX 301-953-2838; e-mail: [email protected]; www.ppa.com
Send all advertising materials to: Debbie Todd, Professional Photographer, 5431 E. Garnet, Mesa, AZ 85206; 480-807-4391; FAX: 480-807-4509
Subscription rates/information: U.S.: $27, one year; $45, two years; $66, three years. Canada: $43, one year; $73, two years; $108, three years.
International: $39.95, one year digital subscription. Back issues/Single copies $7 U.S.; $10 Canada; $15 International.
PPA membership includes $13.50 annual subscription. Subscription orders/changes: Send to Professional Photographer, Attn: Circulation
Dept., P.O. Box 2035, Skokie, IL 60076; 800-742-7468; FAX 404-614-6406; email: [email protected]; Web site: www.ppmag.com.
Periodicals postage paid in Atlanta, Ga., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Professional Photographer magazine,
P.O. Box 2035, Skokie, IL 60076Copyright 2008, PPA Publications & Events, Inc. Printed in U.S.A.
Article reprints: Contact Professional Photographer reprint coordinator at Wright’s Reprints; 1-877-652-5295.
Microfilm copies: University Microfilms International, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106
Professional Photographer (ISSN 1528-5286) is published monthly for $27 per year by PPAPublications and Events, Inc., 229 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 2200, International Tower, Atlanta,GA 30303-1608. Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta, Ga., and additional mailing offices.
Acceptance of advertising does not carry with it endorsement by the publisher. Opinions expressed byProfessional Photographer or any of its authors do not necessarily reflect positions of ProfessionalPhotographers of America, Inc. Professional Photographer, official journal of the ProfessionalPhotographers of America, Inc., is the oldest exclusively professional photographic publication in theWestern Hemisphere (founded 1907 by Charles Abel, Hon.M.Photog.), incorporating Abel’s Photo-graphic Weekly, St. Louis & Canadian Photographer, The Commercial Photog-rapher, The National Photographer, Professional Photographer, and ProfessionalPhotographer Storytellers. Circulation audited and verified by BPA Worldwide.
4 www.ppmag.com
PROFESSIONAL
senior editorJOAN [email protected]
features editorLESLIE HUNT
editor-at-largeJEFF KENT
technical editorsANDREW RODNEY,
ELLIS VENER, DON CHICK
art director/production managerDEBBIE TODD
manager, publications andsales/strategic alliances
KARISA [email protected]
sales and marketing assistantCHERYL [email protected]
circulation MOLLIE O’[email protected]
western region ad managerBART ENGELS
847-854-8182; [email protected]
eastern region ad managerSHELLIE JOHNSON
404-522-8600, x279; [email protected]
director of sales and strategic alliancesSCOTT HERSH
610-966-2466; [email protected]
EDITORIAL
Questions answeredA SPECIAL ISSUE DEVOTED TO BETTER BUSINESS
The publication of this month’s Professional Photographer is truly
an event. We’re presenting a super special “How to Do Everything
Better” section.
If you’re having trouble making sense of a particular matter,
more often than not, others are too. So we combed through our
archives, pored over reader requests, and took note of PP’s most-
read online articles to gather a few of the ongoing questions
everyone seems to be asking.
In some instances we merely covered the basics, to help you bone
up on the essentials, in others, we tackled more complicated questions,
like how to land that first wedding assignment. It’s a question I’ve
wondered about for years—as a bride, would I entrust my wedding
images to someone who had never photographed an event before?
How does a wedding photographer get his first break? We asked the
talented David Jay, who launched his now booming career just a
few years ago; his answer finally helped us understand how it’s done.
Turn to p. 35 and see if there aren’t a few things we can help you
do better. Have any suggestions for next year’s issue? E-mail me
your confounding questions and let’s see if we can find the answers.
AND THE WINNER IS…Our first-ever cover photo contest started simply enough. For three
months last spring, we threw open our doors to host a sort of
open house, giving photographers at all skill levels a chance to
see their work gracing the cover of Professional Photographer
magazine. As the entries rolled in, and the numbers mounted, we
realized just how many photographers were willing to line up for
that opportunity. More than 5,000 photographers entered more
than 50,000 images.
But this wasn’t a photo contest; it was a cover photo contest. We
held the entries to the high standards of our regular cover
selections, so we had to roll up our sleeves and get to work. The
selection process took a full four months of careful deliberation.
My absolute favorite part of the judging was working alongside our
guest judge, past PPA president Helen Yancy. Her photographic resume
is legendary. Both Debbie Todd, the magazine’s art director, and I enjoyed
hearing Helen’s evaluations of the images, and having the opportunity
to see photography through her exceptionally gifted eyes. !
Cameron Bishopp
Director of Publications
director of publicationsCAMERON BISHOPP
4-editorial 10/10/08 7:05 AM Page 1
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PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER NOVEMBER 2008
CONTENTS
42HOW TO READ A
HISTOGRAM
By Ellis Vener52
HOW TOPOSE KIDS
By Sandy Puc’
60HOW TO GET
CREATIVE WITH FLASH
By David Hobby
68HOW TO BALANCE
YOUR LIFE
By Sarah Petty
35A Special Super
Section
7-8-contents 10/9/08 12:52 PM Page 1
DepartmentsCONTACT SHEET
20 Profiles in history
22 The trial of the tilted tiara
24 David Hobby teaches small-flash lightingby Curtis Joe Walker
26 Green marketing
28 Getty, Time open Life Collection
30 Win a portfolio review with Anne Geddes
COVER CONTEST
92 Talent RisingThe 2008 Professional Photographer Cover Photo Contest draws talent from every corner of the world
By Jeff Kent
ON THE COVER: Heather Smith of Cumming,Ga., took first place in the 2008 ProfessionalPhotographer Cover Contest with our coverimage, a portrait of her youngest daughter. This image was chosen from more than 50,000entries. Says contest guest judge Helen Yancy,“It’s a studio shot that was executed perfectlywith excellent lighting. The composition is per-fect.” In addition to the landing the cover, Smithwas awarded a valuable prize package of products from Bogen Imaging, Canon, Miller's ProfessionalImaging, Kodak Professional and Microsoft. Smith has been a professional photographer for five years. She and her husband, Steve, operate Smith Photo Design. See a collection ofsuper entries in the feature beginning on p. 92.
8 www.ppmag.com
14 FOLIO
73 IMAGING USA
106 CALENDAR
111 PPA TODAY
130 GOOD WORKSPROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER | NOVEMBER 2008 | WWW.PPMAG.COM
The vintage portrait above (of Norma Shearer by George Hurrell), recently
sold at auction for $19,500. It’s part of a collection of historical images from the Golden Age
of Hollywood that are being auctioned at record prices by art dealer Profiles in History.
©G
eorge Hurrell
CONTENTS
20
Norma Shearer in“The Divorcee”
7-8-contents 10/9/08 12:53 PM Page 2
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Photography.
A Picture-Perfect Relationship
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Professional Photographers of America229 Peachtree St., NE, Suite 2200Atlanta, GA 30303-1608404-522-8600; 800-786-6277FAX: 404-614-6400www.ppa.com
2008-2009 PPA board
president*DENNIS CRAFT M.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, [email protected]
vice president*RON NICHOLSM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]
treasurer*LOUIS TONSMEIRE Cr.Photog., [email protected]
chairman of the board*JACK REZNICKICr.Photog., Hon.M.Photog., [email protected]
directorsDON DICKSONM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]
SANDY (SAM) PUC’ M.Photog.Cr., CPP, [email protected]
RALPH ROMAGUERA, SR.M.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, [email protected]
CAROL ANDREWSM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]
SUSAN MICHALM.Photog.Cr., CPP, [email protected]
TIMOTHY WALDENM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]
DOUG BOXM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]
DON MACGREGORM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]
industry advisorKEVIN [email protected]
legal counselHowe and Hutton, Chicago
PPA staffDAVID TRUST Chief Executive Officer [email protected]
SCOTT KURKIANChief Financial [email protected]
CAMERON BISHOPP Director of [email protected]
DANA GROVES Director of Marketing &[email protected]
SCOTT HERSHDirector of Sales & Strategic [email protected]
J. ALEXANDER HOPPERDirector of Membership,Copyright and [email protected]
WILDA OKEN Director of [email protected]
LENORE TAFFEL Director of Events/[email protected]
BING ZENGPPA China Managing [email protected]
SANDRA LANGExecutive [email protected]
*Executive Committee of the Board
12 www.ppmag.com
Professional PhotographerOnline’s exciting features
At ppmag.com, we don’t simply recreate the magazine online.Professional Photographer Online goes far beyond that with
loads of cool, useful and inspiring content. And it’s all yours free!
FREE E-MAIL NEWSLETTER: Want to see the latest news andexclusive product reviews you won’t see in the pages of the
magazine? Sign up now for Professional Photographer’s freeemail newsletter: http://ppmag.com/email.php
Web Exclusives: Fresh stories, tutorials and reviews you’ll ONLY find online!Archived features,organized relevant to your specialty.Photo GalleryProfit CenterAn in-depth product review libraryOnline ClassifiedsBuyer’s Gallery
12-board 10/14/08 9:18 AM Page 1
13 dymo 10/9/08 8:30 AM Page 1
14 www.ppmag.com
folio| Comprising images selected from the files of the PPA Loan Collection, Folio is a monthly sample ofaward-winning photography by PPA members. The Loan Collection is a select group of some 500photographs chosen annually by the PPA print judges from more than 5,000 entries.
RAY HASKELLFascinated by wildlife, Ray Haskell, CPP, of Perfect ImagePhotography in Jaffrey, N.H., captured these tom turkeysperforming an age-old strutting ritual. With a Canon EOS 20Dand Canon 75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM EF lens, Haskell exposed“Duel at Dawn” for 1/200 second at f/5.6, ISO 400. Post-capture, Haskell burned in the rump feathers of the bird seenfrom behind, and used a LucisArt filter for a painterly effect.“There’s a real challenge recording wildlife on its own terms,”says Haskell. “You have to be prepared, go unnoticed andanticipate their next move.” (www.perfectimage1.com)
©Ray Haskell
14,16-folio 10/9/08 8:31 AM Page 1
15 cpq.indd 1 10/9/08 8:53:49 AM
58: Number of lenses in the legendary NIKKOR family.
58: Number of legendary NIKKOR lenses you’ll want.
®
Nikon® and NIKKOR® are registered trademarks of Nikon Corporation. ©2008 Nikon Inc.
Upload, organize and share your pictures online at mypicturetown.com
For more than 70 years, the NIKKOR family of lenses from Nikon has been recognized for its superb image quality and exacting standards. And it’s a tradition of excellence that continues today, with many of our lenses equipped with proprietary ED glass to help limit chromatic aberration. When you consider some of their other remarkable new features (see opposite page), you’ll understand why all 58 of our NIKKOR lenses remain in such high demand. Learn more at nikonusa.com
Over 45 Million NIKKOR® Lenses Produced.
16 nikon.indd 1 10/12/08 12:37:43 PM
JEFF WILLIAMSThis bridal portrait is all about the mood set by the abundant window light. Jeff Williams, CPP, of JS Photography in Gainesville, Fla., captured “Waiting for the Moment” with a Nikon D2X and Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8 D IF-ED AF-S Zoom lens, exposing the image for 1/30 second at f/5.6, ISO 100. In Adobe Photoshop, Williams performed minor dodging and burning, and removed a distracting chair rail from the background. (www.jsphoto.com)
folio
A 14-24mm f/2.8, that sets a new standard for fast-aperture zoom performance.
A 60mm AF-S Micro, engineered for close-up performance enhanced by Nikon’s exclusive,
glare-reducing Nano Crystal Coat.
A 16-85mm DX VR, remarkably compact with high-performance zoom and
wide-to-portrait versatility.
A 24mm PC-E, with creative tilt, shift, and rotation perspective.
Now, for the tough part: Deciding which one you should get. Learn more about these and other legendary NIKKOR lenses at nikonusa.com
Nikon® and NIKKOR® are registered trademarks of Nikon Corporation. ©2008 Nikon Inc.
The NIKKOR family of lenses from Nikon offers an astonishing range of creative options designed to fi t your photographic needs perfectly. These four lenses are a great example:
Decisions, decisions.
©Jeff Williams
folio16.indd 1 10/13/08 10:42:57 AM
Cody Clinton & Mike Fulton | TriCoast PhotographyKODAK PHOTOGRAPHERS TO WATCH 2008
18-19 miller sp.indd 2 10/9/08 8:54:50 AM
To see how Cody & Mike use Miller’s to grow their studio, please visit www.millerslab.com/TriCoast.
It takes two !r thre" phot!graphers to make one great image. We do not w!r#y about who captured the image. We do not w!r#y about who created the final product. When we and our clients are hap$y, then we have succe"ded in doing our job and our art c!r#ectly. Teamw!rk is truly the foundation of TriCoast, just as it is with Mil%er’s.
.Without a doubt, TriCoast is about col!r and unique angles. We LOVE col!r. When we se" it, we grab it, abs!rb it, and create something out of it. We push ev"ry col!r to the point of breaking.
.We try to create an enjoyable environment in ev"rything we do and plan on making lifelong friends with our clients. Believing that the m!re inf!rmationa client has about us, the bet&er he !r she can decide if we are the right artists f!r them. If TriCoast is not the “right” artist, we gladly share a cup of coffe" and do ev"rything in our power to find what is right.
And that’s what is so great about Mil%er’s. They are doing the same thing. Always growing, always changing, always helping the profes'ional phot!grapher, ev"n if they are not a client of Mil%er’s. By leading the market, in many aspects the other labs fol%ow with the products which Mil%er’s dev"lops, making the entire profes'ional phot!graphy w!rld stronger and bet&er f!r ev"ryone.
Our lab is Mil%er’s Profes'ional Imaging because we Expect M!re.
18-19 miller sp.indd 3 10/9/08 8:55:09 AM
CONTACT SHEETWhat’s New, Events, Hot Products, Great Ideas, Etc.
©Clarence Sinclair Bull
Profiles in historyHistorical portraits sell at record prices
BY JEFF KENT
“Five yearsago, therewas no suchthing as a$5,000photographin thisparticularmarket.Now we sell$5,000 to$50,000photographsby thehundreds.”
Jean Harlow
20-22,24,26,28,30-CS 10/10/08 9:55 AM Page 1
During the so-called Golden Age of Hollywood,
roughly from the 1920s to the late 1950s,
some of the nation’s leading portrait
photographers plied their trade among the
Hollywood royalty. While the movie studios
cranked out copious machine-made
commercial prints, these photographers
created commissioned portraits for private
display. Long secluded in private collections,
many of these portraits are now emerging,
and selling at unprecedented prices.
At a recent auction held by Profiles in
History, a leading dealer in historical documents
and photographs, upwards of 100 prints from
the early to mid-20th century sold for more
than $5,000 apiece, grossing a total of about
$1.2 million. A George Hurrell portrait of
Johnny Weissmuller (the original Tarzan) went
for $27,000, a record for a Hurrell photograph
sold at auction. Portraits by Otto Dyar, Ernest
Bachrach, Eugene Robert Richee and Clarence
Sinclair Bull, depicting Carole Lombard,
Louise Brooks, Norma Shearer, Marlene
Dietrich, Jean Harlow and other Golden
Age stars, sold in the high four-figure range.
For Joseph Maddalena, Profiles president
and CEO, these sales indicate a growing
appreciation for historical photographic
portraits, fast approaching non-photo-
graphic fine art in value. “I’ve seen it change
dramatically just in last year,” he says. “Five
years ago, there was no such thing as a
$5,000 photograph in this particular
market. Now we sell $5,000 to $50,000
photographs by the hundreds.”
Maddalena asserts that the spike is due
to the realization that these portraits are
true originals, unique in today’s world of
digital imaging. “Take a negative from
1930,” says Maddalena. “It was hand-
touched. A contact print was made from the
negative with perfect clarity. We can’t make
that same print now. Even with our amazing
digital technology … you can’t copy those
historical photographs. It’s an art form that
no longer exists. So many images are not going
to be saved. That’s why these are treasures.”
This appreciation of historical portraits is
evidenced by Profiles’ sale of an 1858 portrait of
Abraham Lincoln, at a record price for a print
of that particular signed Lincoln image. Created
for Lincoln’s presidential campaign by photog-
rapher Roderick Cole, the portrait is one of the
best recognized images of the 16th U.S. presi-
dent. Signed by Lincoln himself and in excellent
condition, it fetched an astounding $209,000.
Profiles in History hosts another auction
in December, during which the dealer will sell
an enormous trove of Hollywood memorabilia,as well as a collection of high-end historical
photography. For more information, visit
www.profilesinhistory.com.
©George Hurrell
©Roderick Cole
November 2008 Professional Photographer 21
Johnny Weissmuller
20-22,24,26,28,30-CS 10/10/08 9:55 AM Page 2
The trial ofthe tilted tiaraClients contended it was up tothe photographer to correct a misaligned headdress
The matter of a bride’s tilted tiara became a
photographer’s nightmare when a PPA
member in Texas became embroiled in a 15-
month legal battle over an accessory mishap.
“What am I supposed to know about tiaras?
I’m a professional photographer, not a tiara
expert,” says Dwayne Lee, M.Photog.Cr. Lee
got a quick lesson in bridal jewelry when his
wedding clients sued him for photographing
the bride without correcting her skewed tiara.
Lee first saw the tiara in question on the
day of the ceremony as the bride and her
attendants exited the limousine. Lee took
pre-ceremony photographs of the bridal party,
friends and family, including one of the
bride and her mother gazing at each another.
The skewed tiara went unnoticed by all.
Out of Lee’s sightline, as the bride was about
to walk down the aisle, a family member
noticed the tilted tiara and straightened it.
Lee continued to document the day for the
happy couple, never hearing a word about
the skewed headdress.
Two weeks later, when the groom came
to Lee’s studio for the previews, he imme-
diately pointed out the tilted tiara in the pre-
ceremony images. Then the bride and groom
sued Lee for $1,500, their reckoning of the
price of those images. The bride and groom
contended that it was Lee’s responsibility to
correct the misaligned tiara before shooting.
The small claims court date was set for
September 15. As a PPA member, Lee called
on the PPA Indemnification Trust, which
provides legal counsel from the law firm of
Howe & Hutton, specialists in legal matters
concerning photographers. The
Indemnification Trust is a unique malpractice
protection program that helps PPA members in
cases of allegations of photographer negligence.
The attorneys at Howe & Hutton offered
Lee the option of settling the case with the
clients, with PPA covering the costs. Lee
would pay only the Trust’s per-incident
deductible of $200. Lee firmly turned the
offer down. He wasn’t willing to have this
customer tarnish his reputation further, or
let someone else pick up the tab for an
unreasonable lawsuit.
Representing themselves, the plaintiff ’s
sole witness was the bride. Lee came in with
10 witnesses, comprising photographers,
hairdressers, wedding consultants, and tiara
expert Cheri Rubin. After the groom
questioned his witness, Lee called on his
supporting witnesses, all of whom opined
that it was not the responsibility of the
photographer to alter the placement of the
tiara. That detail was in the purview of the
hairdresser, the bridesmaids, and the
mother of the bride. Lee provided
supporting evidence in the form of a
wedding album filled with pictures of the
bride in question, standing close to her
mother and surrounded by her attendants.
Last, the expert witness took the stand.
Rubin cited her 32 years of tiara experience.
Under oath, she stated that the placement of
the tiara can vary drastically based on the
event, the bride’s hairstyle, her ethnicity, and
above all, her personal preference. For a
photographer to suggest repositioning a
bride’s tiara, Rubin testified, would be
offensive to many women.
The jury ruled in favor of the defendant
after a 5-minute deliberation.
“People started coming out of the wood-
work to help me out,” Lee says, commenting
on PPA’s assistance throughout the ordeal.
“I don’t see how photographers who aren’t
members of PPA can sleep at night. It’s peace
of mind—and you can’t put a price on that.”
—Anne Mahaffey,
PPA Membership Coordinator
22 www.ppmag.com
CONTACT SHEET
An expert witness stated that the placement of thetiara can vary drastically based on the event, thebride's hairstyle, ethnicity and personal preference.
©Dwayne Lee
20-22,24,26,28,30-CS 10/10/08 9:56 AM Page 3
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David Hobby’s Strobist.com has demystified
off-camera flash for seasoned pros and
ambitious amateurs alike. The Strobist’s
primary tool is the versatile yet unsung hot-
shoe flash, a relatively low-cost, portable and
flexible location lighting solution.
Strobist started as a hobby in April 2006.
After 20 years as a newspaper photographer,
Hobby was able to retire from his day job at
The Baltimore Sun thanks to income from the
site. Despite its tiny budget, the site has become
successful with a readership of around 200,000.
Explaining and illustrating the techniques,
equipment, and principles of photographic
lighting through photographs, videos and
diagrams is nothing new. What’s novel is doing
so for free with a focus on getting professional
results without huge gear expenditures.
Hobby uses his own real-world experience,
and also keeps a close eye on what other
pros and up-and-comers are doing.
Flickr.com is his best friend in this endeavor.
The Strobist group on Flickr is bursting
with photos and discussions of new gear and
how-tos. Hobby culls the best and posts them
on his site. One of the hottest recent topics
is a do-it-yourself beauty dish to replace a
costly ready-made light modifier. Enterprising
Strobists have devised a DIY version that
takes less than $20-worth of supplies. With
an assemblage of a plastic flower pot, CD
spindle, a length of rain gutter, a convex mirror
and spray paint, you can achieve top-notch
results. Made with care, this sturdy beauty
dish won’t even look homemade.
The underlying goal of Strobist.com is
not to dissuade photographers from using
professional gear, but to free them to
experiment with new techniques
economically. Certainly it’s inadvisable to
position clients who pay hundreds for a
portrait session in front of gear cobbled
from tinfoil and cardboard, but using that
homemade gear to pull off an excellent
portfolio image is another story. It might
help you land a job that will pay for the
professional version, or at least a rental.
In 2007, Hobby produced a set of eight
instructional DVDs, which sells for $139. In
keeping with the spirit of Strobist, the self-
funded production favors content over
polished production values. Hobby has also
begun teaching lighting seminars.
Despite these various Strobist projects,
Hobby finds time to shoot for and give private
instruction to clients such as the U.S. Military
Defense Information School. Local Flickr
Strobist groups are springing up in
metropolitan areas, meeting to share their
knowledge and collaborate on projects.
Find links to Strobist projects mentioned inProfessional Photographer’s Web Exclusivesat www.ppmag.com. Curtis Joe Walker is afreelance writer and photographer in Las Vegas.
CONTACT SHEET
Strobist.comDavid Hobby teaches small-flash lighting and inspires photographers
BY CURTIS JOE WALKER
All images ©David Hobby
24 www.ppmag.com
20-22,24,26,28,30-CS 10/10/08 9:57 AM Page 4
29 dury 10/9/08 8:32 AM Page 1
Consumers the world over want to do
something to heal our ravaged ecosystem
even if it’s simply patronizing businesses
that are environmentally conscientious. If
your business policies are genuinely green
spirited, by all means, trumpet the fact in
your marketing.
Consumers have been inundated by the
empty claims of big business, so you have to
put your biodegradable packing peanuts
where your Styrofoam used to be. Let the
other guys hand out plastic-coated junk-
drawer stuffers, while you imprint your
message on items that won’t contribute to
the wasteful overuse of natural resources.
Make your studio’s imprint on one of these
environmentally conscious items:
Re-usable shopping bags made of
polypropylene cloth or recycled materials.
www.ameripromo.com
Mars M&M candies with custom
words, photo images, logos and colors,
packaged in tins, wedding-worthy organdy
gift bags, and more. www.mymms.com
Herb, vegetable or flower seeds in
packets made of recycled paper and tied with
ribbon or herb seed bookmarks.
www.promotionsforsuccess.com
Dove chocolates in custom imprinted
mini-boxes tied with ribbon.
www.mydovechocolate.com
Water bottles made of recycled materials
or metal. Matchbook forget-me-not seed sticks,
866-661-9696. www.earthimprints.com.
Visit www.greenerphotography.org for
more ways that you can consider the
environment in your business and connect
with other like-minded photographers.
CONTACT SHEET
Green marketingShow clients you care about the earth
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26 www.ppmag.com
20-22,24,26,28,30-CS 10/10/08 9:57 AM Page 5
27 pro photo 10/9/08 8:32 AM Page 1
Time Inc. and Getty Images are jointly
preparing for the early 2009 official launch
of Life.com, giving public access to the
largest collection of images in the world. In
addition to the vast collection of historic
images from the Getty archive—which are
pouring onto the new site at the rate of 3,000
images daily—the site is acquiring new images
daily, in the realms of news, entertainment,
sports, celebrities, travel animals and more.
Life.com will also feature millions of images
from Life magazine, many of them
previously unavailable for public viewing.
Consumers will be able to search and view
the Life.com image bank as well as print select
images and share them with friends and family.
They can also create personal image
collections based on their interests, and
purchase albums of their selections.
CONTACT SHEET
Getty, Time open Life Collection
26 www.ppmag.com
Photo by: Margaret Bourke-White ©Time Inc. 2008
28 www.ppmag.com
20-22,24,26,28,30-CS 10/10/08 9:58 AM Page 6
The new Pictorico GEKKO is a distinctive line of inkjet mediawith four different textures, all specifically designed forprinting digital black and white images. Offering outstandinggrayscale performance with deep blacks and high D-Max,GEKKO inkjet media will meet your highest standards.
Experience Pictorico GEKKO for yourself.
GEKKO Green has the look and feel of traditional Baryta black and white photo paper and was the winner of the 2008 DIMA Award for best black and white print from a color inkjet printer.
GEKKO Red is a 100% cotton paper with a distinct,textured surface.
GEKKO Black has a unique matte surface finish on traditional resin coated photo base paper.
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Learn more about the complete line of Pictorico inkjet media by visiting www.pictorico.com.Use promo code PPMAG to receive 20% off your online purchase. Valid until December 31, 2008.
Distributed in the Americas exclusively through Mitsubishi Imaging (MPM), Inc.
PICTORICO GEKKO ENGINEERED FOR BLACK & WHITE PRINTING
Winner of the 2008 DIMA Awardfor best black and white print
from a color inkjet printer.
25 mitsubishi.indd 1 10/9/08 8:55:40 AM
The Anne Geddes Portfolio Review Contest,
sponsored by Epson America, has just been
announced. Sign up at ppmag.com to win
the chance at a one-on-one portfolio review
with legendary photographer Anne Geddes
at Imaging USA 2009.
New York Times best-selling author and
photographer Geddes will be speaking at
Imaging USA, being held this year in
Phoenix, January 11 to 13.
The Australian photographer became
an international phenomenon in the 1990s
with her remarkable images of babies.
Geddes’ latest book, “A Labor of Love”
(Andrews McMeel Publishing), is a
personal account of her life.
A Geddes photograph is instantly recog-
nizable. Her unique perspective enthralled
international audiences, and revolutionized
children’s portraiture.
To enter the contest, you’ll be asked for a
link to an online portfolio containing 10 or
more of your images. In addition to artistic
and technical excellence, your body of work
should include a majority of portraits or
images featuring people.
Epson America will choose randomly
300 Web sites from the total pool of
qualified entrants. Once 300 finalists have
been drawn, image collections will be judged
based on both technical and artistic merit.
Judges are seeking images that exhibit
proficiency in professional photographic
lighting, composition and portrayal of
subject matter.
Go to ppmag.com for information.
30 www.ppmag.com
CONTACT SHEET
Win a portfolio review with Anne GeddesInterested in having your work critiqued by a legendary photographer?
WORDS OF WISDOM What judges are looking for
1. The best you: Your collection should exhibit your own singular style.
2. Keep it photographic: Your body ofwork should not be dependent uponheavy post-production techniques, butphotographic excellence.
©Anne Geddes, 2008. All rights reserved.
20-22,24,26,28,30-CS 10/12/08 9:03 AM Page 12
31 tamron.indd 1 10/12/08 9:04:15 AM
32-33 whcc.indd 2 10/9/08 8:58:41 AM
32-33 whcc.indd 3 10/9/08 8:58:56 AM
34 ppa.indd 1 10/9/08 8:59:13 AM
35-38,40,48-50,56,58,64-66-howto 10/15/08 8:41 AM Page 1
My photographer friends were
amazed to hear my husband and I
were heading to Europe for three
weeks of travel photography with
no checked baggage. Each of us
took just one carry-on suitcase and
a small day bag. Here’s how we
did it:
We made a packing list and did
a practice pack to see what fit.
The tripod had to go—our travel
style doesn’t allow time to set it up
every time I want to shoot some-
thing anyway.
I took only one lens, a Nikon 18-
200mm, which covers most of the
focal range I’d need and has built-in
vibration reduction—a good feature
to have sans tripod.
The next consideration was stor-
ing, viewing and sorting 21 days-
worth of images. In lieu of a laptop,
I took an 80GB Epson P-4000
Multimedia Storage Viewer, which
comes with a snug-fitting neoprene
case. The P-4000 has more than
enough space for the estimated
3,000 raw + JPEG images I'd cap-
ture with my Nikon D200.
I didn’t want the weight and
bulk of a typical camera bag or case.
An Op-Tech neoprene pouch was
the perfect solution. It held my
camera and the attached lens snug-
ly, providing protection within my
lightweight day bag, and adding
almost no weight.
I was worried about neck strain
after hours of carrying the camera
around my neck. I needed some-
thing to help support the weight,
yet allow me to be quick on the
draw. I envisioned something like a
front-loading baby carrier, but
couldn’t find such a product for
photographers. (Manufacturers,
take note!)
My solution was a small nylon
waistpack worn unzipped. I placed
the camera lens down into the pack,
and handily pulled it out when I
needed to shoot. The long lens hood
and a UV filter protected the lens,
even when I didn’t replace
the cap. The camera
body itself stuck up
above the waist-
pack, and tended
to flop around a
little, but with
the camera strap
around my neck,
there was no danger of
its falling out.
The waistpack had a small zip-
pered pouch in front that held a
spare battery
and a small case
holding a polariz-
ing filter. Another
zippered pocket held
two extra memory cards
and a lens-cleaning cloth.
With the pack around my
waist and the camera
strapped around my neck, I
had everything I needed for a
day of shooting.
For flash on this trip, I used my
D200’s onboard flash. Next time I’ll
take my Nikon SB-400 flash. It’s
small and lightweight, and it will
improve my indoor shots.
Another necessity was my cam-
era’s battery charger and a plug-in
adapter for European outlets. I car-
ried them in a plastic bag in
my suitcase, along with
the Epson viewer and
adapter. With two
adapters, I could
have a battery
charging while I
downloaded images
in the evening.
I took along two feath-
erweight necessities, a sturdy
plastic bag to protect the camera
from rain, and a laminated luggage
tag on my cam-
era strap in case
I misplaced the camera. In three
languages, the tag said there'd be
a reward for the finder if he'd
leave it with the local police for
owner pickup.
As for how my husband and I
packed our clothes and daily neces-
sities, that’s another article.
Ricksteves.com is a terrific resource.
Our trip to Italy, Switzerland
and Austria was full of amazing
photo ops (examples at www.four-
windsphotoart.com/gallery), and I
had no occasion to make good on
that reward.
—Elaine McDonald
TRAVEL LIGHT, EVEN WHEN YOU’RE ON ASSIGNMENT
MAKEA DETAILED
PACKING LIST &DO A PRACTICE
PACK TO BE SUREIT ALL FITS.
NO-HAGGLING GROUND RULES:m 1. Do not lower your fees or give
away photography for free. It will onlydamage your business in the long run.
m 2. Not everyone who tries toget something for free actuallyexpects to get it.
LAY THE GROUNDWORK:m 1. Build rapport. Ask emotion-
al questions; listen to the answers.
m 2. Learn about your subjectbefore the day of the session.
m 3. Be enthusiastic aboutwhat you’re creating. Clients whofeel your excitement are less likelyto haggle.
m 4. As soon as the session’sover, book a viewing session for the following week. You need time to narrow the selection to 15 or fewer perfect images. The fewerimages you show, the better your sale.
m 5. Present images in an emo-tional way. Clients’ emotions arestrongest when they first see images.
MANAGE THE BARGAIN HUNTER:m 1. Listen carefully and quietly
to the request.m 2. Cushion your reply, “I
understand exactly how you feel.”m 3. Look the person in the eye
and inform him you just can’t dowhat he asks right away.
m 4. Tell a little story or use an example from the client’s line of work to illustrate the outrageousness of his request.
m 5. Redirect the negotiationconversation to an emotional dis-cussion about the photographs,
AVOID NEGOTIATINGWITH YOUR CLIENTS
36 www.ppmag.com
I understand.
35-38,40,48-50,56,58,64-66-howto 10/15/08 8:41 AM Page 2
1. Practice, practice, practice. No one
performs at the top of his game with a once-
in-awhile effort, so photograph voraciously.
2. Enter every print competition that
yields constructive feedback. Ask the
judges to be specific about how they arrived
at your score. The judges’ critiques in
national print competitions are a tremen-
dous resource. Be a print monitor at
Imaging USA and keep your ears open.
3. Before you enter, ask photographers
whose skills you admire to comment on
your prints. Be judicious about whom
you ask—too many cooks spoil the broth,
too many opinions sully artistic vision.
4. Choose images that are in some
way unique. It could be an extraordi-
nary subject, or an ordinary subject
rendered extraordinarily well. Different
for the sake of being different is not
enough. Past Loan Collection books can
inspire, but don’t copy the images.
Review the 12 elements of PPA’s print
merit criteria (go to www.ppa.com).
5. Everything about your images
should contribute to the message you’re
conveying.
6. Don’t stop working until every-
thing about the image is excellent. With
that and a little luck, you’re in!
—2008 Diamond Photographer Keith A. Howe, M.Photog.M.Artist.Cr.
November 2008 Professional Photographer 37
COMMERCIAL PRICING
PROTECT YOUR VALUE
Never sell a photo-
graph—sell usage rights,
based on the time span
of the usage, how, where
and for what purpose
the image will be used.
There are two parts
to any estimate: the
creative fee (depending
on the photographer and
the advertisement
involved), and the produc-
tion expenses (time, sets,
travel, etc.). Don’t scare
away buyers by pricing
below their expectations.
Buyers are well aware of
the costs involved in
shooting high-end and
low-end jobs.
—Jack Reznicki, Cr.Photog.,Hon.M.Photog., API,
“A Bid for Success,” PP Archive
how beautiful they are, how muchthey’ll mean to the family throughthe years.
EXAMPLE 1: Mom clearly loves yourimages but Dr. Dad says, “What areyou really going to charge us? Whatdeal can you make me?”
You: “I understand exactly howyou feel, but there’s nothing I cando about the price. It’d be like asking you to discount your surgeryfee. Of course you wouldn’t. Youlove these photographs! Think how much enjoyment you’ll get out
of having these beautiful portraits inyour home for years to come!”
EXAMPLE 2: Dad says, “If we buy these, will you throw in two8x10s as gifts for our parents? It would cost you hardly anything to do that.”
You: “As much as I’d love to, Ijust can’t. Here’s what I can do: I’llinclude them for 20 percent lessthan if you purchased them sepa-rately. How does that sound?”
We do that for clients whoinvest in a portrait of a particular
size, as long as they order the addi-tional print the same day as the restof their order.
EXAMPLE 3: You’ve totaled up theorder, and the dad says, “I’ll tell youwhat. I’ll give you $X for all of thephotographs,” a figure well belowwhat you’d actually charge.
You: “I understand exactly howyou feel, but I can’t lower theinvestment for you. But just lookhow terrific everyone in your familylooks in this portrait. It’s wonderful!I’ll tell you what. Let’s put this
on a six-month payment plan. No extra charge at all. Is that fair enough?”
Let him know the only way hecan lower the investment is to elimi-nate something he truly wants. Iwould rather get the sale that day,even if it’s less than we anticipated,than risk losing the sale altogether.And we don’t want the client to loseout by not going home with portraitsthey simply love.
—Charles J. Lewis, M.Photog.Cr.
BE A DIAMOND PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEARWITH FOUR IMAGES IN THE PPA LOAN COLLECTION
PET PHOTOGRAPHY
KEEP THE FUR FLYING
Even if you have experience handling
animals, it’s wise to learn all you can from
an animal obedience trainer, even to
attend classes. Animal shows—dog, cat,
horse—are a fine place to observe how
various animals are handled, and to
become familiar with the breeds.
Make your camera room animal
friendly. Indoor-outdoor carpeting saves
flooring and is easy to clean up.
The animal should be allowed to
roam the camera room and become
familiar with the surroundings.
You’ll need a main light, a fill light,
a hair light, and sometimes a reflector.
My lights are mounted on stands with
casters, so if an animal bumps into one,
the light will roll instead of falling over.
To market your animal portrait
services, post display ads in veterinarian
offices, pet stores, grooming shops and
animal events.
—Debrah H. Muska, M.Photog.Cr., “Animal PetPhotography,” PP Archive
©Juli Cialone
$©Keith A. Howe
35-38,40,48-50,56,58,64-66-howto 10/15/08 8:43 AM Page 3
1. PORTRAITURE PLUG-IN BY
IMAGENOMIC
This easy-to-use Photoshop or Aperture
plug-in smooths out smile lines, small
blemishes and other imperfections
without altering the contrast or high-
contrast areas of your image, as other
filters do. Particularly good on acne,
the plug-in has several sliders to control
the application of the filter. For even
more precise control, make the alter-
ations on a separate layer in Photoshop,
were you can adjust the opacity.
This is a fine finishing tool to use
after doing basic touch-ups with the
Healing Brush or any of your preferred
Photoshop tools. It will also help those
with less than perfect technique.
Portrait photographers will recoup the
cost in just a few sessions.
Price: $169.95; free demo at
www.imagenomic.com.
2. PROSELECT BY TIME EXPOSURE
The secret is finally out about this
easy-to-use presentation and slide-
show making software. If learning one
more piece of software is likely to
make your head explode, make just a
little room in your brain for this one,
even if you have to jettison valuable
celebrity trivia.
ProSelect lets you make slideshows
with dissolves and music, in literally
just a couple of clicks, and it uses very
little memory and hard drive space.
That alone would justify the cost,
but there are plenty of other excep-
tional features. You can show clients
projections at exact sizes and crop the
projected images. You can instantly
make composites and framing exam-
ples with the built-in templates, or
make your own. If you need printed
proofs, one click and a simple slider
adjustment
let you
create custom
labeled proof
sheets.
When the
client is ready,
ProSelect
allows you to
enter the
order infor-
mation, then
computes the
bill. You can
even print the
invoice with a
thumbnail of
each image
ordered.
Price:
$362; free
demo avail-
able at
www.time-
exposure.com
3. LUCISART BY IMAGE CONTENT
Photographers have been using
LucisArt for years to jazz up prints
for competition, shows and sales.
LucisArt can turn an ordinary image
into something that makes photogra-
phers look twice and clients say things
like, “That looks like a painting!”
If you dial back the controls a bit,
LucisArt works as an everyday appli-
cation. In moderate amounts, the filter
makes portraits that appeal to a
younger generation looking for some-
thing new. Light application of a filter
such as Sculpture can add just enough
sharpness or contrast or texture to
make a wedding candid pop or add a
nice feel to a studio portrait, especially
a black-and-white image.
With such a range of control for
each filter, the possibilities for practi-
cal use are endless.
Price: $595; upgrade $100 at
lucispro.com.
4. TIME MACHINE BY APPLE.
Time Machine is built into the latest
Mac operating system, 10.5, a.k.a.,
Leopard. It makes backing up your
files simple as can be, with one click,
performed one time. Connect an
external drive to your Mac, and you’ll
get a prompt asking if you want to
make it your backup drive. When you
click yes, Time Machine takes over.
Every hour, it makes an incremen-
tal backup of your entire machine. It
saves the hourly backups over the past
24 hours, daily backups for the
month, and weekly backups for every-
thing older. You can return to any of
those states to see how your machine
looked on a particular day.
Price: $129 for Mac OS 10.5,
including 299 other new features.
—Michael Brantley, M.Photog.Cr, CPP
38 www.ppmag.com
How to take apicture? “Youlook through
the viewfinder,and when yourmouth dropsopen in awe,you click the
shutter.” — Harold Feinstein, “Urgent Purpose,”
PP Archive
REGISTER A COPYRIGHT
WITH THE U.S. COPYRIGHT
OFFICE
1. Visit www.copy-
right.gov.
2. Select a method
of registration: online,
Form eCO; by mail,
Form CO or Form VA
3. Complete the appli-
cation online or on paper.
4. Upload your
images or burn a CD of
your images and mail
with application to the
Copyright Office.
5. Pay the application
fee: $35 for eCO, $45 for
Form CO or Form VA.
6. Look for the
arrival of your Certificate
of Registration.
4 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE WITH WORKFLOW AND IMAGING SOFTWARE
35-38,40,48-50,56,58,64-66-howto 10/15/08 8:42 AM Page 4
It’s the busiest time of the year. Are your vendors making your life easier? If you’re working with Collages.net, the answer is yes. Our knowledgeable customer service team has been trained extensively in every aspect of our product lines. We can help with your workfl ow. Most of all, we can offer live, friendly assistance when you need it most.
Don’t get lost in the shuffl e this season. Call Collages.net today, and we’ll have you smiling in no time.
Contact Collages.net at (877) 638-7468 or [email protected] to experience the industry’s premier one-stop solution. You’ll quickly see why 98% of our customers would recommend Collages.net to another professional photographer.
Albums | Press Printed Books | Professional Printing | Online Presentation | High-End Cards
Check out Collages.net’s comprehensive product line at www.collages.net/products.
©2008 Collages.net Inc. All rights reserved. Photos ©2008 Stephanie Post.
“How can we make your life easier?”
39 collage 2.indd 1 10/9/08 8:59:57 AM
EMBRACE THE LIGHT
Embrace the lighting conditions you find.Look for opportunities rather than situations.I look for areas with backlighting. I look for
reflected light. I look for how I can manipulatethe existing light. I look to discover areas that
can make a portrait work. I look at unique situations. Most important, I look
for a fresh way to use light.—Michael Glen Taylor, M.Photog.Cr., Hon.M.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, F-ASP,
“All the World’s a Studio,” PP Archive
“Yeah! I’ll shoot it!” I screamed, when
my friend Deyl Kearin asked if I ‘d
shoot a wedding on a day he’d
already booked. I’d just
dropped out of college
and the $1,000 I’d make
sounded like a jackpot. I’d
never even assisted a pho-
tographer at a wedding
before, and had no idea
what to do. But this was my
start, my first big job.
Since then I’ve shot more
than 100 weddings, and my prices have
risen to more than $15,000 per job. I’ve
done no advertising, never gone to a
bridal show, displayed no sample mate-
rial other than on my business card and
my unique Web site. What I do have is
an army of customer-evangelists. You
can get your business rocking, too, with
four simple steps.
1. FOCUS. Before you do anything else,
choose a specialty and believe whole-
heartedly that you can actually do it.
2. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. Take
advantage of word-of-mouth marketing
and get the message spreading through-
out your immediate network. Stop sit-
ting behind your computer editing your
pictures and get out there and meet
people!
Build a relationship with other wed-
ding photographers. Photographers have
been my largest source of referrals. Other
photographers aren’t your competition,
they’re your colleagues, and the biggest
pipeline to your first clients.
3. MAKE AN EMOTIONAL
CONNECTION. Emotion is a magic potion.
We do everything for one reason—the
feeling it gives us. It’s true of the restau-
rants we choose, the clothes we buy, and
the people we hire to perform such
services as photographing our wedding.
What are your clients really buying
when they book your services and sign
that check? It isn’t great wedding
pictures—you haven’t shot their wed-
ding yet. The only thing you give them
at that moment is a promise, a com-
mitment, a feeling of security that
their wedding will be captured in
incredible photographs. You are the
source of their feeling of security. Sales
in wedding photography are the trans-
fer of emotion.
4. INVEST IN OTHERS. The busi-
ness of wedding photography is a lot
like high school—the most popular kids
win. The people with the most friends
and biggest networks usually come out
on top, so spend time getting to know
people. As Dale Carnegie wrote, “You’ll
go further in two months by becoming
genuinely interested in just two other
people than you will in two years of try-
ing to get other people interested in you.”
Right now, visit the Web site of a
photographer in your area, find some-
thing you like about him or her, and then
let that person know it . Bestow some
encouragement and start a relationship.
Join professional groups like PPA and
your local affiliate, and hop on free
forums like opensourcephoto.com and
OurPPA.com. It’s business and pleasure.
—David Jay
THE BABY PLAN
CASH IN ON THE FACTS OF LIFEBabies go through so many changes in just one year. When you market to
families with new babies, you can have year-round business. Our Markle
Studio plan offers four portraits over baby’s first year—3 months old, 6
months old, 9 months old, and baby’s first birthday. Mom can be included
in one of these sessions. At the conclusion of the series, the client gets
a custom photo mat with openings for one portrait from each session.
Get creative with variations on the plan, like adding special album
packages. Our plan requires a payment up front that covers all four portrait
sessions plus the panel composite at a discount on our studio’s regular
pricing. We also offer packages from each session at a discount. The discount
is a reward to our clients for repeat visits and loyalty to our studio.
—Valerie Markle, M.Photog.Cr., “Growing Babies: Year-Round Cash Flow,” PP Archive
LAND YOUR VERY FIRST WEDDING JOB
©Richard Marchisotto
Continued on p. 48
40 www.ppmag.com
35-38,40,48-50,56,58,64-66-howto 10/15/08 8:44 AM Page 5
This may sound crazy, but the pen allows me to achieve perfection. What can I say? I’m a perfectionist. I like things to be exact.
I’m Alex. I’m a Photo Retoucher. I’m all about the details. It’s my duty. People come to me and ask: “Can you just Photoshop this?” And I know they don’t have a clue what that means. Their eyes don’t see the details the way mine do. Do they evenknow what dodging, burning, cloning and healing mean? And then there’s compositing…
Small details are huge things. With my pen, I can work at the pixel level, creating masks and selections with speed and control. Making everything just right.
At the Pen Collective, I’ve found people who understand my obsession.
Listen. Share. Learn. Come to Grips with Your Pen Love.
www.PenCollective.com
Why am I passionate about my pen?
© 2008 Wacom Technology Corporation. Wacom is a trademark of Wacom Company, Ltd. All other references to third-party software are recognized as trademarked property of their respective owners and used with their permission.
41 wacom.indd 1 10/9/08 9:00:14 AM
All images ©Ellis Vener
read aH O W T O
Demystifying a challenging tool
BY ELLIS VENER
histogram
42-44,46-histogram 10/9/08 10:20 AM Page 1
Editor’s Note: This article by Ellis Vener first appeared on PPmag.com’s Web Exclusives in December 2007. Since then, it has become the most popular story on our site. We asked Vener to update his story for publication in this special issue.
What does a histogram tell us about a
photograph?
A histogram is a bar graph that shows
how the luminance values in a digital
photograph are distributed. But you can’t
actually see the individual bars, unless one
appears as a singular spike or is missing
altogether, leaving a visible gap.
The histogram displays a scale of light, from
black to white. Except with a histogram of a
scanned negative, the scale reads from black
at the left to white at the right. Almost every
photographic histogram has 256 increments,
corresponding to an 8-bit scale of zero to 255.
Simple histograms map the total distribu-
tion of the recorded luminance values. More
complex histograms display the luminance
values as a layered composite of each of the
red, green, and blue color channels, or, in
the histograms of certain cameras and one
viewing option in Photoshop, luminance
values of each color channel individually.
A histogram’s horizontal scale measures
exposure latitude. The vertical scale measures
quantity as a percentage—how much of the
image has a specific luminosity value. The
horizontal scale measures in absolute values
(0 to 255), but the vertical scale’s measure-
ment is affected by several factors: the color
space, the bit depth, and with JPEG
capture, the compression level.
The data being sent to the preview is
based on a highly compressed, low-
resolution JPEG, using an 8-bit-per-channel
version of the color space you’ve chosen, and
possibly incorporating the tone settings in
the camera’s processing parameters.
With raw capture and with large color
spaces (e.g., ProPhoto’s 16 bits per channel),
the image file contains more information
than the histogram displays. Bad thing: the
image might actually have a lot more detail
in the upper highlights or near-black shadows.
Good thing: you know the image is at least
as tone-rich as the histogram indicates.
The late Bruce Fraser articulated a key con-
cept, “Tonal differences are detail.” Histograms
show where those differences are, and where
there are problems, such as clipping.
Clipping appears as a peak at the ends of
the histogram. Unless there are detail-free
areas of black or white of a significant size in
the photograph, the problem is likely that
your exposure setting is destroying (clipping)
the differences that define detail at the extremes
of your exposure (aperture + shutter speed +
ISO setting + in-camera processing settings
if you’re shooting JPEGs). Remedy—
shooting raw and processing the capture
with a raw processor gives you more latitude
November 2008 Professional Photographer 43
m
A Photoshop layered composite histogram. A camera histogram showing individual channels.
42-44,46-histogram 10/9/08 10:20 AM Page 2
than shooting in-camera-produced JPEGs.
A rule of thumb when using a histogram
to evaluate exposure, expose to the right.
There is a sound reason for doing this,
and it goes back to how the CMOS and CCD
sensor arrays in digital cameras and scanners
work. Linear arrays record more data at the
higher bit levels. You can tease those
differences apart with a good raw processor
or in Photoshop and find those details.
It’s important to understand that each
pixel in a camera’s array is a separate mono-
chrome device. It does just one job: record
the total amount of light striking it. Each
photo site (pixel) is capped with either a red,
green or blue filter. A full set of color values
for each point is created when the photo is
processed from its raw state to a demosaiced
RGB file, whether by the camera or by an
external raw processer. A 1-bit device is like a
light switch: it has two states—it’s on (white)
or it is off (black). A 2-bit device has four
states (or 4 shades of gray: white, light gray,
dark gray, black). A 3-bit device has 8 states
(white, six shades of gray, and black), a 4-bit
device has 16, and an 8-bit device has 256 (2
x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x2). A 12-bit device
has 4,096 and a 14-bit device has 16,384
states it can be in. Obviously, the more states
the smoother the transition will be between
one shade of gray and the next.
To keep this simple, I’ll use a 12-bit-per-
channel model. Devices record light in a linear
manner, but the pixels do not evenly share the
wealth of detail. The brightest stop of exposure
contains half of the available states, or levels
of detail (2,048 in 12 bits). The second
brightest stop down contains a quarter of
the total (1,024) the third brightest contains
512 levels, the fourth brightest 256, etc.
The farther to the right you expose without
clipping the highlights, the greater the differ-
42-44,46-histogram 10/9/08 10:21 AM Page 3
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45 sony.indd 1 10/9/08 9:00:33 AM
ences you’re recording. Post capture, you can
start teasing it apart to see the differences in
tone. On the other end, in the shadows, you
start to run up against the signal-to-noise
threshold—a lot of what looks like shadow detail
may actually be electronic noise. That’s another
reason to expose to the right: the more signal
recorded, the lower the percentage of noise.
When you start with an underexposed
image and have to lighten it during processing,
you create gaps between the steps, because the
image data has fewer and cruder gradations.
This shows up as banding, abrupt changes
in tone. Noise begins to become more
apparent as well. You can reduce noise with
software, but at the expense of image detail
and time. As with film, exposing well in the
first place results in both better image
quality and time savings.
With many cameras, you have the option
of viewing a simple composite luminance
histogram or a precise exposure level for
each color channel. If you believe that the
more information you have, the sounder
your decisions, go for the latter view.
What a histogram does not do: Tell you
what colors are out of gamut. One more
reason to shoot raw! When processing, use a
large color space like ProPhoto or Adobe
RGB(1998) at 16 bits per channel. After
making all adjustments, you can convert a
version of the master image to the color
space or profile and bit depth required for
the intended output. It’s all about the wise
control of the tangible portions of your work.
Be aware that there’s no such thing as a
standard shape for a histogram; the shape of
the histogram depends on the content of the
individual photograph. A photograph of a
white dog against a black backdrop will have
a U-shaped histogram with very few mid-
tone values. A histogram for a photograph
of a gray-haired man in a gray flannel suit
against a mid-gray backdrop will have a
hump and very little data on the ends. !
42-44,46-histogram 10/9/08 10:21 AM Page 4
47 pickpic 10/9/08 8:33 AM Page 1
Photoshop CS4 capitalizes on pow-erful modern graphics processors toenhance image viewing. You can tossand tilt your image as if it were aphoto on a table in front of you. Itworks with a mouse, but if you’reusing a graphics tablet, it’s great tocontrol this function with your pen.
Access your pen control preferences.On a Mac, choose System Preferencesand click on the Wacom Tablet iconunder the Other category. Windowsusers, find the tablet preferences inthe Control Panel. Choose the Pen tool.
Select the menu for the upper halfof the Pen button control, chooseKeystroke, hit the space bar (Hand toolshortcut), click OK. Choose Keystroke
from the menu for the lower half ofthe pen button and type R (Rotate Viewshortcut). Close System Preferences.
In Photoshop, all you have to do nowis access the Hand tool with the topside of the Pen button. Touch pen totablet and flick to toss the image, makingit glide across the screen. The motionstops with its own momentum or assoon as you again press pen to tablet.
Clicking the lower half of the Penbutton now keys the Rotate Viewtool. Tilt your image to any anglenon-destructively to make the actionof painting and drawing much morenatural than ever before.
—Joan T. Sherwood,Senior Editor
Open Adobe Bridge CS4 and navi-
gate to a folder of images.
If the folder includes JPEG +
raw captures, Review Mode will dis-
play both files. You can use the fil-
ter panel (Window > Filter Panel)
to show only the file type you want
to work with.
Hit cmd/ctrl-B to see the Review
Mode (View > Review Mode).
Put your right middle finger on
the right arrow key and your index
finger on the down arrow key. Use
the right key to advance and the
down key to eliminate images from
the selection. You can continue
repeatedly dumping with the down
key. Cmd/ctrl-Z will restore the
last photo you dumped if you
haven’t used the arrow key again.
Cmd/ctrl-[ or ] will rotate a photo
90 degrees.
Continue through the carousel
view until you’ve narrowed the selec-
tion to your best. Click the Collection
icon on the lower right corner.
Name the collection and click
Save. Bridge will revert to a review
of your new collection. Here you
can compare images in pairs or
more if you need to make further
refinements. Select an image and
click the space bar to see it in a full-
screen view; click the space bar
again to return to the Bridge inter-
face. Select an image and click the
Remove from Collection button just
above the thumbnails panel to
delete it from your selection.
Your original images remain
untouched in their original loca-
tion. This set of images now exists
as a Collection. Choose Window >
Collections Panel if you don’t see
the Collections tab in the Bridge
interface.
—Joan T. Sherwood,Senior Editor
PHOTO EDIT WITH TWO FINGERS
Click the Collection icon to create a new collection from the Review Mode.
Review reverts to your workspace, where you can compare and remove images.
48 www.ppmag.com
TOSS AND TILT YOUR IMAGE WITH A WACOM PEN
AdobeCS4:
Photoshopand
Bridge
Continued from p. 40
35-38,40,48-50,56,58,64-66-howto 10/15/08 8:44 AM Page 6
m 1. Take several exposures of a still subject, extending
the focus to a more distant point with each frame. Cmd/ctrl-
click the images you want to blend in Bridge CS4. Go to
Tools > Photoshop > Load Files into Photoshop Layers.
m 2. A new Photoshop file opens with the images
imported into layers. Shift-click to select all the layers in the
Layers palette.
m 3. Choose Edit > Auto-Align Layers, choose Auto,
click OK.
m 4. Choose Edit > Auto-Blend Layers, choose Stack
Images, and Seamless Tones and Colors; click OK.
m 5. Photoshop blends the selected layers according to
content, creating a layer mask for each layer, isolating the best
information for the blend.
WORKFLOW
MENUS AND KEYBOARD
SHORTCUTS Hide menu items
you never use: Window >
Workspace > Keyboard
Shortcuts & Menus >
select the menu or panel,
click the Visibility button.
Choose your own
keyboard shortcuts:
Window > Workspace >
Keyboard Shortcuts &
Menus > select the Key-
board Shortcuts tab, click
on the menu command.
An open field will display.
Type in your shortcut. The
interface will warn you if
your shortcut is invalid,
or if it is in use for another
command, giving you the
option to change it.
Show Keyboard
Shortcuts: opt/alt +
shift + cmd/ctrl + K
Browse in Bridge:
opt/alt + cmd/ctrl + O or
shift + cmd + O
Close and Go
To Bridge: shift +
cmd/ctrl + W
Save for Web &
Devices: opt/alt + shift +
cmd/ctrl + S
New Layer: shift +
cmd/ctrl + N
Merge Layers:
cmd/ctrl + E
Merge Visible Layers
to a New Layer: opt/alt
+ shift + cmd/ctrl + E
Layer Via Copy:
cmd/ctrl + J
Modify Feather:
shift + F6
Last Filter:
cmd/ctrl + F
View Gamut Warn-
ing: shift + cmd/ctrl + Y
Proof Colors:
cmd/ctrl + Y
EXTEND DEPTH OF FIELD
November 2008 Professional Photographer 49
Step 1
Step 3
First layer Last layer Ten layers blended
Step 4 Step 5
All im
ages ©Joan T. Sherw
ood
35-38,40,48-50,56,58,64-66-howto 10/15/08 8:44 AM Page 7
Join Professional Photographers of
America and take part in PPA’s
Indemnification Trust (for members in
the United States and Canada), a fund
established to protect photographers
against alleged negligence on assign-
ment in the case of:
Data loss (e.g., corrupt media card
or hard drive failure);
Equipment failure;
Failure of the photographer to
be at the event or assignment at the
specified time;
Client dissatisfaction with services
rendered during an assignment or as
contracted.
Should a lawsuit or the threat of
one occur, the Trust will intervene to
represent your interests, and provide
legal counsel and advice in resolving a
dispute. Unlike traditional error and
omissions or professional malpractice
insurance, PPA members will not incur
rate increases or loss of coverage when
a claim is filed.
Coverage for the above allegations
could include the payment of damages and
judgments, fees charged by an attorney
designated by The Trust, and reasonable
costs and expenses resulting from the
investigation, settlement, defense, or
appeal of the initial claim. The attorneys
assigned to file claims work closely with
the professional photographer to find an
acceptable, expedient, and equitable
solution.
HOW TO FILE A CLAIM:
The first step is to call PPA at 800-786-
6277. A team member will ask you for
information regarding the incident,
and file the claim.
A representative from the law firm
of Howe & Hutton, specialists in pho-
tographer indemnification, will call you
to discuss your options and next steps
in resolving the issue. Once a Trust
Indemnification claim is filed, you must
work with the attorneys of Howe &
Hutton. The Trust will not provide
monetary compensation for negotiated
settlements or resolutions completed
without the consultation and assistance
of Howe & Hutton.
THE TRUST DOES NOT COVER:
Liability suits in cases of dishon-
esty, intentional fraud, criminal or
malicious acts, libel, slander, defama-
tion of character or reputation, breach
of confidentiality or invasion of privacy,
injury or mysterious disappearance,
loss of or damage to tangible property.
The actions and work of independ-
ent contractors hired by PPA members.
Business interruptions, loss of profits,
lost or damaged property, or casualty loss.
(You might be required to ship damaged
digital media for data recovery services, but
any business disruption caused by the
damaged media is not covered.)
Contract disputes that arise due to
the client’s intended breach of contract.
Trust attorneys and the PPA
Copyright & Government
Affairs staff are always avail-
able to provide advice about mem-
bers’ legal options in resolving dis-
putes or misunderstandings
with clients.
Claims of inva-
sion of privacy
Lab loss of film
Lawsuits based on
breach of contract, or mat-
ters that may be criminal
or viewed as intentional,
as opposed to negligence
Loss or damage of
photographic property
that is in transit, with
the exception of film that
is shipped with a tracking
number. Loss of property
or film due to an employee delivery is
also ineligible.
Copyright infringement by mem-
bers or others
Expressed or implied warranties
or guarantees of the quality of film,
products, or services otherwise pro-
vided by the member or any third
party for film or pictures that subse-
quently fade.
50 www.ppmag.com
LAUNCH YOUR BUSINESS
START ME UP
Begin with research
and a business plan.
Check local zoning
regulations and get appro-
priate business licenses.
Get a tax ID number
and find out what taxes
you’re required to report
and when.
business liability
insurance. Home-based
businesses need coverage
specifically for business
property, professional
liability, personal and
advertising injury, loss of
business data, crime and
theft, and disability.
The Small Business
Administration suggests
purchasing business
interruption insurance
to cover lost revenue
due to natural disasters,
fires or other catastro-
phes that temporarily
halt business.
Every state save
Texas requires businesses
to carry worker’s compen-
sation insurance for
employees (in some states
you’re exempt if you have
fewer than a specified
number of employees).
If you have substan-
tial personal assets, it can
be smart to safeguard them
by setting up your busi-
ness as a limited liability
corporation (LLC) to keep
your business and per-
sonal identities separate.
—Lorna Gentry, “Taking Care of Business,”
PP Archive
PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR BUSINESS FROM MALPRACTICE SUITS
The Trust has seena spectacular
increase in datarecovery and
damaged mediaclaims. Back up
your work as soonas possible on
removable media,and in multiple
locations!
Continued on p. 56
35-38,40,48-50,56,58,64-66-howto 10/15/08 8:44 AM Page 8
51 buff.indd 1 10/9/08 9:00:51 AM
All images © Sandy Puc’
pose kids H O W T O
Sometimes it’s OK to breaka few rules and have fun
BY SANDY PUC’, M.PHOTOG.CR., CPP
52-55-puc 10/10/08 7:06 AM Page 1
Perfecting children’s portraiture requires
patience and a great attitude; many of the
rules of photography are thrown over for the
“Law of the Jungle.” I do try to follow the
rules, but success depends to a large degree
on the child’s attitude and willingness to listen.
Sometimes we should settle for fun, and let
go the idea of perfection. I have a good time
with the kids, knowing that mom and dad
won’t see what I didn’t get, as long as I got a
great expression. If the child is nearing the
end of his patience, I’ll let a shirt go untucked
or a hair be out of place, and make the most
of the limited time left me.
HEAD TILT. The general rule is that girls
tilt their head toward the lower shoulder, boys
toward the higher shoulder. At about age 3,
children start to take direction on tilting their
head. Understand, though, that children are
quite literal—if you say “tilt,” they’re going to
really tilt. Often, you’ll need to physically posi-
tion the subject’s head. And when you get
back to the camera, don’t rely on the tilt to
still be there every time. After posing a child’s
head, I walk back to the camera without
taking my eyes off him. I gently coax the
child to stay still, then snap! I’ve got my shot.
ARMS AND HANDS. There are many
formal rules for posing arms and hands.
For instance, never crop a body part at a
joint, as it makes the image disquieting.
And fingers and hands should not be
pointing toward the camera. That’s one I
try hard not to break.
52-55-puc 10/10/08 7:07 AM Page 2
One of my pet peeves is not using a proper
support arm. You must find poses that do
not seem forced or uncomfortable. Having
an arm stiff or in an awkward position is
not only a distraction in the final image, but
will also result in an unfortunate expression
reflecting the child’s obvious discomfort.
For arms or hands, I always prefer a
natural, informal approach with children.
With more than one child, the oldest child’s
arms and shoulder should be positioned
behind the younger children’s. I want to
show the siblings closeness, but without
hiding the little guys. This pose also reflects
the appropriate ratio of the subjects’ sizes.
LEGS AND FEET. I generally use two
leg poses with children. The boy pose is a
seated position with the legs to the side, with
one knee bent. (It’s important that boys not
be seated flat on their bottom, as it draws
attention to the groin area.) The boy places
his elbow on the raised knee and makes a
slight fist. Be sure his trouser legs are
covering his socks.
The girl pose is similar, except with both
legs extended slightly. The palm of the girl’s
support hand should be flat on the ground,
fingers pointing away from the camera. The
other hand can rest across the leg, although I
prefer to place it on the lower thigh.
From there you can create many simple
variations. The one pose we almost never
use is what we all know as “Indian style” (or
“criss-cross applesauce” for the younger and
more politically correct). This pose flattens
everything out, and makes it impossible to
get dynamic head, shoulder, and body tilts.
Of course, every once in a while, a child just
sits in that position naturally and it’s adorable
—even my strictest rules can be broken.
EXPRESSION. Controlling all the
variables that go into making a perfect
image isn’t always easy. Looking back at my
52-55-puc 10/10/08 7:07 AM Page 3
early work, I sometimes cringe at the
lighting, exposure, and composition I used,
because now I recognize my mistakes. But
whatever little mistakes you might make,
I’ve found that if you capture the real
expression of the child, one that will
emotionally move your client, minor flaws
will be overlooked.
A child’s smile or laugh can melt hearts,
but that doesn’t mean that the subject needs
to be all smiles all during the session. Sometimes
a soft look or even a sad pout will stir the same
emotional connection. When the subject isn’t
smiling, the eyes are at their fullest, most wide-
open shape. Warm and inviting, they, too,
can capture the viewer’s heart. I typically
provide an even mix of these expressions.
Your clients trust that you’ll capture
the whole essence of their child, and that
includes a full range of emotions and
personality. When I select images for
studio samples, I’m always drawn to the
images where the subject is not smiling.
But I understand that my clients’
expectations include a healthy balance. !
Excerpted and condensed from the book,“The Sandy Puc’ Guide to Children’s PortraitPhotography” (Amherst Media).
‘‘’’
I have a goodtime with thekids, knowingthat mom anddad won’t seewhat I didn’tget, as long asI got a greatexpression.
November 2008 Professional Photographer 55
52-55-puc 10/12/08 1:29 PM Page 4
Bookkeeping, budgeting, pricing,
financial forecasting—ugh, who
needs it; there’s money in my busi-
ness account, I’m paying my suppli-
ers, and my accountant keeps my
tax reports up to date. I don’t see
how this managerial accounting
thing could help my business suc-
ceed, even if I knew what it was.
That’s a prevailing sentiment
among professional photographers,
says accountant Bridget Jackson,
manager of PPA Studio Manage-
ment Services. That’s why Jackson’s
enthusiasm on the subject catches
one off guard. “I love showing
clients that something as important
as managerial accounting is almost
as easy as organizing your closet!”
You’ll find this hard to believe, but
she witnesses financial epiphanies on
a regular basis. Photographers enter
with a shoebox of jumbled receipts
and vague hopes for the months
ahead, and exit with a
quick financial health
diagnostic tool.
Remember how to
determine the circumfer-
ence of a circle? You mul-
tiply the diameter of the
circle by pi (!). Easy as
you-know-what if you
know the measurement of
the diameter and that the
magic number ! = 3.14159.
Determining your
studio’s financial health
is much the same. The
magic numbers used in
the formula for photo-
graphic business suc-
cess—one for home-
based businesses, anoth-
er for retail location
businesses—have been
determined for you by
the photographers and SMS
accountants who authored the PPA
Studio Financial Benchmrk Survey.
The formula is the benchmark,
the standard, against which to diag-
nose the financial health of your busi-
ness. Applying the formula, created
especially for the business of pho-
tography, to those numbers is man-
agerial accounting. Managerial
accounting will pinpoint any prob-
lems and clarify the remedy. And
get this—PPA has automated the
“crunching the numbers” part.
The numbers you need for man-
agerial accounting are right there
in your shoebox, the actual amount
of your gross sales, cost of sales and
general expenses. Get past the hurdle
of sorting these into categories on
a spreadsheet, says Jackson, and
you’ll know how your business is
doing. Moreover, you’ll see exactly
where any problems lie. (Where to
start? See below on downloading a
list of categories from ppa.com.)
YOUR MAGIC NUMBERSIn a healthy photography business,
the benchmark for annual owner’s
salary plus net business profit is 35
percent of the total amount of sales
(gross profit). Altogether, the owner
keeps 35 cents out of every sales
dollar coming in.
The remainder of the gross prof-
it, 65 percent of the money taken in,
goes to paying two kinds of business
expenses: the cost of sales, which is
the cost of producing the “products”
sold; and general expenses, which
include business administration costs
(among them equipment, office sup-
plies, outside legal and accounting ser-
vices, taxes and license fees) and over-
head costs (employee expenses, mar-
keting, capital expenditure, building
maintenance, rent, utilities, insurance).
Home-based businesses and retail
location-based businesses have dif-
ferent overhead expenses (there’s more
overhead for retail spaces), so there
are separate benchmark allocations
of that 65 percent for each model:
retail-based benchmarks—25 percent
to cost of sales, 40 percent to general
expenses; home-based—35 percent
to cost of sales, 30 percent to general
expenses. So in a sense, the “!” in man-
agerial accounting, the benchmark
for retail-based studios is 25-40-35,
and for home-based studios, 35-30-35.
True, applying the formula will
take some thought, commitment, dis-
cipline, maybe belt-tightening, even
hardship, and professional advice. But
after doing a reality check through
managerial accounting, you’ll know
what questions to ask. Best of all, you
will be in control of your business. You
will be able to support your inner artist.
The Benchmark Survey is avail-
able for PPA members online in a
downloadable PDF document. Go to
www.ppa.com, click the Studio
Management Services tab, then click
SMS Resources. You’ll also find tem-
plates for categorizing expenses,
cost-based pricing, and building
your annual projections.
For more information, check out StudioManagement Services at ppa.com, or callBeth Moore at 800-339-5451 ext. 244.
56 www.ppmag.com
*ACTUALTIME MAY VARY,DEPENDING ONTHE STATE OF
YOUR FINANCIALSHOE BOX.
LIGHTING OBJECTS
ALL THAT GLITTERS
Use tent lighting for small, shiny objects, completely enclosing the object in a
diffused light chamber. You can construct such an environment from a simple
matte acetate cylinder, though the opening at the top of the cylinder could
cause dark reflections. You could also use a cone that would extend from the
camera lens to the shooting table. For the setup to be light fast, you’ll have to
take care in cutting the bottom of the cone so it sits flat on the table. For a
cheap and easy option, cut out the bottom of a frosted plastic gallon water jug
and place it over the object on a light table or white surface. Place a light out-
side the jug, and shoot through the mouth of the jug.
—Al Francekevitch, “Lighting Small, Shiny Objects,” PP Archive
MEASURE YOUR FINANCIAL HEALTH IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS *
Continued from p. 50
35-38,40,48-50,56,58,64-66-howto 10/15/08 8:45 AM Page 9
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57 bay.indd 1 10/9/08 9:01:51 AM
1. Check the manufacturer’s specs
on your canvas to be sure it’s compati-
ble with your printer’s inks.
2. Let the print cure—dry at room
temperature next to a fan set to low—
for at least 24 hours. “This lets the col-
ors and tones stabilize,” says J Vee of J
Vee Graphics in Jacksonville, Ill., thus
preparing the surface to accept the
next medium you apply.
3. After curing, apply a protective
coating. “The easiest method of finishing
a canvas is to spray it with a preservative,
usually acrylic-based,” says Alan Zarter
of Lawrenceville, Ga. “The spray adds
durability and display life to the print.
I use PremierArt Print Shield, which
doesn’t alter the look of the print.”
You can also use Krylon matte,
satin or glossy finish sprays. Read the
specs for the coating you’re consider-
ing to make sure it’s compatible with
your canvas and inks. It’s a good idea
to test the finish on a sample print.
Choose a product with UV inhibitors
to lessen the long-term effects of expo-
sure to light, because the canvas will
not be displayed behind glass.
Jack Duganne of Santa Monica,
Calif., recommends a spray coating like
Krylon Workable Fixatif available at art
stores, or water-based PremierArt ECO
Print Shield, which you apply with a
foam roller. Duganne says spraying the
canvas first makes the rolling easier.
Sprays smell and the vapors get
into your lungs. Spray in a well-venti-
lated area where the finish can dry
without being exposed to
dust or other airborne particles.
Look into building a DIY spray
booth. Follow the product’s appli-
cation guidelines.
I’ve painted on self-fixed canvas
prints with good results, but the pro-
fessional finishes have an extra depth
because of the additional steps the
pros take after applying the first pro-
tective coat, from multiple coats of
lacquer to silk-screened photo-poly-
mer UV coating hardened and poly-
merized in a UV reactor.
Once the canvas is coated, you
have to stretch it on a frame, which
requires a whole other set of skills. The
acrylic will flex with the stretching and
protect the canvas.
Your efforts will show in the
results. If you don’t have the time or
patience to learn how to do a profes-
sional job, outsource it.
—Karen Sperling, with contributors J Vee, J Vee Graphics, www.jveegraphics.com; Jack
Duganne, Duganne Ateliers,www.duganne.com; Alan Zarter, Alan
Zarter Fine Art, www.azfineart.com
58 www.ppmag.com
HOLD A GREATHOLIDAY SPECIALIn just two days of shoot-
ing and fewer than 10
hours of production time,
Barbara Yonts’ Christmas
special grosses $13,000
to $15,000. Partner with
a kids clothes boutique—
a shop with great décor—
and do the portraits there.
Let the store book the
appointments, all of 5
minutes apart, from 9 a.m.
to 7 p.m. Forget showing
proofs; it’s strictly photog-
rapher’s choice. After each
mini session, let an assis-
tant hired specially for the
occasion help customers
select a print
package and collect pay-
ment in full. In addition
to a nominal session fee
per child, Yonts’ packages
range in price from $35
to $165. Customers can
add photo products and
prints to any package. They
get eight free wallets if
the child is photographed
in an outfit purchased at
the store. At pick-up
they get a 20-percent
store discount coupon
toward their next clothing
purchase. Yonts delivers
beautifully packaged orders
to the store for pickup in
about three weeks.
— Barbara Yonts,M.Photog., CPP,
“Children’s Christmas Special:Easy, Fun and Profitable”
LEARN TO PROTECT YOUR CANVAS PRINT
! Collect a substantial deposit the day you book the wedding.
! Record the names, phone numbers, e-mail addresses
and complete street addresses of the bride, groom and both
sets of parents.
! Immediately after collecting the deposit, book an
engagement session at locations important to the couple. These
will be presented in a romantic slide show at the reception. It
further cements the agreement, and gets the couple too excited
over the upcoming session to suffer buyer’s remorse.
!Mail a handwritten thank-you and a small pertinent gift
immediately after your first meeting.
! Next day, mail another personal letter recommending
wedding vendors whom you know and trust. This positions you
as an expert on the specialists in the community, and the bride
will truly appreciate the helpful information.
! One week after booking, send a casual e-mail to the
bride to say you’re looking forward to working with her, and reit-
erate the date and time of the session.
! Send a personal note to both sets of parents. Introduce
yourself, and say you’re looking forward to photographing the
couple. Engaging the parents is a powerful sticking strategy.
! One month after booking, mail another handwritten note
with yet another appropriate gift, such as a paid subscription to
Bride Magazine. This tells the couple you care about them.
! Two weeks later, send another note with a box of gour-
met cookies or fine chocolates, and tell them you’re excited
about the big day coming up.
If you think this is too much trouble because you so seldom
have cancellations, I’m pretty sure your prices are way too low!
—Charles J. Lewis, M.Photog.Cr., “Wedding Orders—Make It Stick!”, PP Archives
MAKE WEDDING ORDERS STICK
©Mark Garber©
Kare
n Sp
erlin
g
In just two days of shootingand fewer than 10 hours of
production time, Barbara Yonts’Christmas special grosses
$13,000 to $15,000..
Continued on p. 64
35-38,40,48-50,56,58,64-66-howto 10/15/08 10:04 AM Page 10
© 2
008
Dav
id B
ecks
tead
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59 NIK.indd 1 10/9/08 9:02:09 AM
Learning to love your speedlight
BY DAVID HOBBY
Over the last 20 years as a newspaper
photojournalist, I’ve learned something
important about big studio flashes: They
work poorly when I’m on assignment and
they’re at home under my bed.
Awhile back, I decided to learn how to
better use the speedlights that always go with
me in my Domke bag. Like Crosby, Stills and
Nash said back in 1970, “If you can’t be with
the one you love, love the one you’re with.”
My newspaper days over, I’ve moved on to
corporate and magazine photography. I still
love my speedlights, and have adapted my
shooting style to rely heavily on these pint-
sized wonders.
My current favorite is the Nikon SB-800.
I like to think of it as a little monobloc, not
such a stretch, really. It has full manual
power, and as a bonus, wireless TTL. It also
features a PC sync jack and a killer built-in
slave. That’s a lot of fun in a package about
the size of a hot dog.
When I’m not shooting I publish a blog,
get creativeH O W T O
with flash
60 www.ppmag.com
British photographer Ant Upton
60-63-hobby 10/9/08 12:54 PM Page 1
All images ©David Hobby, Strobist.com
Marketing specialist Asif Somji of Dubai
60-63-hobby 10/9/08 12:55 PM Page 2
Strobist.com, which teaches lighting tech-
niques. It has evolved into a sort of lighting
co-op, where a couple of hundred thousand
photographers hang out to learn about flash.
We recommend getting your small flashes
off your camera, and having a willingness to
try anything at least once. The result is a
hyper-creative, peer-to-peer learning environ-
ment where the next “pro tip” you pick up might
come from a 17-year-old kid busting a new
lighting move on his skateboarding friends.
Everyone can use a creative jumpstart
every now and then. To prime the pump,
here are four quick ideas on lighting
subjects with small flashes.
DRINKING GLASSES BACKDROPThis photo of British photographer Ant
Upton (p. 60) was lit with two speedlights. I
lit him with a single flash in a shoot-through
umbrella, camera left. I gelled the flash with
a 1/4 CTO filter to warm up the flesh tones
(Ant, after all, is British).
The environment was a classroom at the
University of London. The background was
a gray room divider. Ugh. To get some color,
I gelled a second speedlight with a blue CTB
gel and underexposed the background by a
couple of stops.
To create texture, I shot my background
flash, positioned back, camera right,
through a stack of drinking glasses. These
created wavy diffractions on the back wall. I
picked up a little rim light from the blue
flash on Ant’s face as a bonus.
RINGFLASH FILLThis photograph of Dubai-based marketing
specialist Asif Somji (p. 61) was shot with two
speedlights. The key light was an SB-800
placed high and close in, mounted in a small
LumiQuest SoftBox II, a folding light
modifier of
about 7x9
inches. A cardboard
gobo placed a little high between the box
and Asif kept the light off his forehead.
I filled the shadows with on-axis light, a
second SB-800 in an ExpoImaging Ray
Flash ringflash adapter. I set the fill about 3
f/stops lower than the key light.
I love using on-axis fill light, whether it
comes from a ring flash or an umbrella
behind the camera. The light reaches back
in there and reveals detail in a controllable
way. And it doesn’t ruin the logic of the key
light by introducing another lighting direction.
SUNSET YEARSMy parents are approaching the 50th anni-
versary of their first date, and I wanted to create
something special at their lakefront home in
Florida (above).
The Hobbys at their Florida home
62 www.ppmag.com
60-63-hobby 10/9/08 12:55 PM Page 3
I clamped a single SB-800 to the inside
of the tiki hut roof and triggered it with a
Pocketwizard. It was fitted with a dome
diffuser and a CTO gel, to mimic a bare
tungsten bulb.
It may look like there’s a tungsten bulb in
the hut, but I have far more lighting
flexibility with the flash. A continuous light
bulb will balance with the sunset for just a
few minutes. By keeping the aperture
constant and opening up the shutter speed,
I can track the balance between flash and
sunset all the way into deep dusk.
ROOFTOP PUPPETEERFor this shot of puppeteer Patrick Zung
(right) in New York City, we worked well into
dusk—as in near darkness—zooming the
camera during the long exposures to make
the city lights abstract.
We used three speedlights. The main
light was in a shoot-through umbrella,
camera front right. We used a bare-flash
kicker light, back camera right. The third
flash, used as an up light, was placed on the
ground under the puppet’s chin. !
Puppeteer Patrick Zung
FREE Product OfferGet up to $200in Free product ...Soft Boxes,Umbrellas, Standsand More!
Go to www.Photogenic.com for details.
PowerLightAccuracy. Consistency. Reliability.
November 2008 Professional Photographer 63
60-63-hobby 10/9/08 12:55 PM Page 4
Excessive debt is the No. 1 business
killer.
Before I became a business
instructor and consultant, I learned
this the hard way by incurring so
much debt in my first two years of
business that I faced the real possi-
bility of losing my home, which was
pledged as security against a
high-interest bank loan.
It took several years
of relentless,
stress-filled,
round-the-clock
work to put our
financial house in
order so that we
could grow what
turned out to be three
successful businesses, with a
fourth now in the works.
In addition to the hands-on real-
ity gleaned from the School of Hard
Knocks, I studied and learned the
financial and marketing success
principles that govern many types of
small businesses.
Photographers whose debt load
is out of control often quote one of
those principles: You have to spend
money to make money. This is true,
but I would add this important
corollary: Don’t spend it unless you
can afford to spend it.
But how do you know what is, or
is not intelligent use of debt? Here
are a few practical suggestions for
managing business debt:
! IF YOU’RE JUST GETTING STARTED
Don’t even start a hobby business
until you’re aware of all business
costs (investment costs, costs for
producing your product, and general
expenses) and how many sessions or
events you must photograph to
cover these costs and earn a profit.
PPA’s Studio Management Services
offers a Basics of Business workshop
that provides this vital information.
For dates and locations go to the
Studio Management Services page
at www.ppa.com and click the link
for more information on workshops.
Another important resource
is the PPA Studio
Financial
Benchmark
Survey, which
provides finan-
cial standards
for home studios
as well as retail
locations. PPA
members can down-
load it from www.ppa.com.
Budget your start-up expenses
(cameras, lights, computers, soft-
ware, props, furnishings, etc.) very
carefully. Even if you have the cash
to purchase them, make sure it is
money you can afford to lose, as no
small business is a sure thing. If you
must borrow to make these purchas-
es, create a prioritized budget for
equipment essentials as well as
funds for a few key marketing
pieces, professional association
membership, and fundamental
professional education.
If you decide to borrow for your
start-up items, investigate lending
options. Avoid using high-interest
credit cards. Cap your borrowing
budget at a level that you can pay
back within 24 months using per-
sonal resources in case you do not have
enough positive cash flow from the
business to reinvest in the business.
Once you have the essentials, a
good rule of thumb is to purchase
only those extras that you can pay
for within 12 months.
! BEFORE YOU DECIDETO GO FULL TIME
Don’t quit your day job until you
either have worked part-time for
someone else or built your own part-
time business at home or in a very
low-overhead retail space. It takes
time to build a successful photogra-
phy business, as well as many long
hours learning to master all the
complex and interrelated elements
of business operations. This can take
from two to five years.
Don’t quit your day job until you
know you have sufficient resources (in
the bank or from other family income)
to cover your living expenses until
your business shows a profit (yeah,
you guessed it—two to five years).
! DON’T GO FULL TIMEUNTIL YOU’VE:
Developed a following among
your target market (which means
gaining client referrals) and devel-
oped consistent cash flow from your
part-time business.
Created an efficient workflow that
will allow you to deliver orders on time.
Created a realistic financial and
marketing plan for the next 12
months. Most experts agree that a
photographer should be gross-
ing between $50,000 and
$100,000 annually before
it is wise to consider a full-
time home-based business, or
$150,000 to $200,000 annually
before considering a full-time retail-
location business.
! BEFORE YOUBUILD OR LEASE A STUDIO SPACEGet professional advice before
you sign a lease agreement for
a studio space or invest person-
al or borrowed funds to construct a
business building or retail studio.
PPA’s Studio Management
Services offers a one-time financial
analysis that will help inform your
decision making.
! BEWARE OF DEBT WARNING SIGNS
Inability to pay down short-
term business debt within a 12-
month period.
Borrowing to finance your liv-
ing expenses.
Borrowing to replace worn-out
equipment that your business can-
not fund.
! WHEN DEBT’S OUT OFCONTROL, REDUCE IT BY …
Cutting back business expenses.
Increasing sessions and sales
through low-cost marketing
strategies.
Reducing personal spending so
that you draw less from the business
and accelerate debt repayment.
Selling personal or business
assets if necessary.
Taking part-time employment
to pay down debt.
64 www.ppmag.com
BE SMART ABOUT BUSINESS DEBT I BY ANN K. MONTEITH, M.PHOTOG.CR., HON.M.PHOTOG., ABI
DON’TSPEND IT
UNLESS YOUCAN AFFORDTO SPEND IT.
Excessive debt is the No. 1 business killer.
Continued from p. 58
35-38,40,48-50,56,58,64-66-howto 10/15/08 8:46 AM Page 11
Too many Americans have incurred huge
debts by spending more than they earn.
I’ve been there. After nine years in busi-
ness, in 1999 I got serious about the
financial health of my studio. I’d been
moving money, not making it. With the
help of mentors and PPA’s Studio
Management Services, I learned what I
needed to do to turn it around. I did it,
but not without hardship and sacrifice.
In 2004 we were told to
vacate our rented studio
space within 30
days. The land-
lords were
ousting all
eight tenants
to establish a
daycare cen-
ter. I’ll never
forget my
son, Tony,
looking at me
with tears in his
eyes, saying plaintively,
“Dad, what are we going to do?”
We heard of some live-work spaces
for sale nearby, but I didn’t have the
money to buy anything. My only asset
was my home. On the other hand, sim-
ple math proved it would be cheaper to
buy a space than to rent another place
for the next five years.
In 2003, my wife and I had put a
down payment on a condo that had yet
to be built. We’d planned to rent it out
until we retired someday. We decided
to sell our home and use the proceeds
to buy a space for the studio. It was the
hardest decision of our lives. We could
downsize and live in a condo, but it
would be a big sacrifice for my family.
We packed up the studio and put our
house on the market. Against all odds
and despite two hurricanes in the inter-
im, the house sold in the softest of
housing markets.
We paid in full to build the new studio.
I was nervous, though, about uprooting
my family and renting while the condo
was being built. I kept promising my
wife, “It will be okay. I will not let you
down, and you will be happy someday.”
Our residential condo was ready in
April 2006, but I’d taken on a 30-year
mortgage, and was none too happy
about it. As is the case with home loans,
I’d be paying more than double
the cost of the condo
over time. That did
not sit well with
me, and I
immediately
began mak-
ing extra
payments on
the principal.
That
October I
heard a Dave
Ramsey radio
broadcast that changed
everything. Ramsey, who at
one point had lost everything and filed
for bankruptcy, subsequently learned
how to handle money and became a
millionaire by age 28. I realized I was
an idiot to accept debt as a way of life.
Following Ramsey’s principles, the 7
Baby Steps, my short-term sacrifices
would pay off in long-term gain:
Step 1. Start an emergency fund
with $1,000.
Step 2. Pay off all debt.
Step 3. Save three to six months’
worth of expenses.
Step 4. Deposit 15 percent of your
yearly household income into Roth
IRAs and pre-tax retirement fund.
Step 5. Start college fund for your
children.
Step 6. Pay off home mortgage early.
Step 7. Build wealth, invest in
mutual funds and real estate.
We cut up our credit cards and used
debit cards only. We cut out all non-
vital spending and literally went on a
rice and beans diet, as Ramsey calls it,
to save money. We budgeted using an
envelope system. For example, $300
went into an envelope each month for
food; when the cash was gone, that was
it. We’d play games to see how far we
could stretch that money. We felt we
had control over our money instead of
being controlled by it. I maxed out my
retirement savings while paying extra
on the mortgage principal.
The following summer, I suspended
my retirement deposits to pay off
the mortgage even faster. My invest-
ment broker thought I was crazy,
but my accountant said I was smart—
and weird. Fine. In America, normal
is broke.
According to Ramsey, only 1 per-
cent of America’s mortgage holders pay
it off in three years. I did it in 25 months.
At age 52, I am officially debt free.
This July I began putting 50 per-
cent of my income into my retirement
fund. We are enjoying our lifestyle,
donating money, saving money, and
spending money in a responsible way.
If you’d like to be weird like me, try
reading David Ramsey’s book, “The
Total Money Makeover.”
Editor’s note: After a rigorous applicationprocess, Dave Ramsey recently accepted bothFrank Donnino and his son Tony, 26, tobecome certified financial counselors.
Donnino Gallery Portraits is in BoyntonBeach, Fla. (www.franktheartist.com). Forinformation about Donnino's January sem-inar, go to www.FranksBabyPlan.com.
November 2008 Professional Photographer 65
CLIMB OUT OF DEBT FAST I BY FRANK DONNINO, CR.PHOTOG.
INAMERICA,BROKE ISNORMAL.
BE WEIRD.
REBOOT
TAKE A FRESH STEP
At some point in their
career, all photographers
need to reinvent them-
selves. If you can afford
it, I recommend taking a
month off and getting
out of the shooting rou-
tine. In that month, go to
galleries and art exhibitions,
watch movies, MTV. Get
immersed in anything visual
save wedding photography.
When you come back to
shooting, go out with one
lens and one camera and
force yourself to shoot
outside your comfort zone.
— Jeff Ascough, “Inside Job,” PP Archive
REFERENCE TARGETS
WHEN SAME-OLD,SAME-OLD IS A
GOOD THING
Predictability is an impor-
tant element in an efficient
workflow, so photograph
a reference target every
time the lighting changes.
The target can be a digi-
tal gray card, a collapsible
digital target or an expo-
sure using a white balance
filter like the ExpoDisc. If
necessary, you can use
this target to color balance
all files photographed
under the same lighting
conditions with a single
click in post-production.
—Robert D. Lloyd, Cr.Photog.,Hon.M.Photog.CPP, APII
“How to Work: Basics of aSafe, Efficient Digital
Workflow,” PP Archive
35-38,40,48-50,56,58,64-66-howto 10/15/08 8:46 AM Page 12
Set your camera for raw capture.
(The in-camera image processing of
JPEG images could influence the
results.) Set the white balance for flash.
Photograph smooth, white
matte board, foam board or a gray
card under each light source alone.
Cover or turn off any ambient light
source. Set your exposure about a
half-stop under the point where the
camera’s LCD starts showing high-
light warnings. Start with the f-stop
you use most in the studio, but
bracket the exposure a bit so the
images look consistently exposed.
Use the fastest shutter speed you
can without losing flash sync.
Open the raw files. I used the
develop mode in Adobe Lightroom,
but any raw processing program
works. Do not use auto settings—
the files must be processed exactly
the same way. If the exposure is
slightly off, it’s okay to adjust it, but
by no more than 1/3-stop. Use the
software’s eyedropper to find a point in
each file where the red measurement
is the same (below, left), then make a
chart of the green and blue measure-
ments at that point in each file, along
with the red (Light color test, below).
The R, G and B measurements
might not be identical (maybe the test
card wasn’t exactly white), but no
problem. Your goal is to have the same
readings from light to light. I prefer
to have no more than 0.5 percent
difference among the lights. (Your
tolerance might differ.) In Table 1,
the difference in the hair light is a
big problem. Move up the color tem-
perature slider and you’d find the blue
reaches 95%, 650K higher than the
as-shot reading. That’s the equiva-
lent of using an 81c warming filter.
Use the process of elimination to
find the problem. First, re-shoot the
light with the bulb bare. If the results
are in line with the other lights, the
modifier is the problem; otherwise
it’s the light or its flash tube.
The fix depends on your situation.
My problem was the modifier, so I
changed the soft box on the hair
light. I also replaced the diffusion
material that had gone warm on the
other light. I prefer my background
light a little warm, so I left it alone.
The ring light is a little blue, but
because I use it mostly as a main
light, I’ll do a separate custom white
balance in the camera.
The general rule with slight
imbalances in your lights is to point
the bluish lights at the subject—and
do custom color balance only with
these lights—and use your warmer
lights for accents.
If your soft boxes, reflectors or
umbrellas are getting warm, try
washing the fabric. If things are
going blue, two options: color cor-
rection gels or new fabric. For green
imbalances, the only easy fix is
gelling. When your lights are bal-
anced, do a new studio custom
white balance for your cameras.
If you use other lights on loca-
tion, test them as well. The more
consistent your lights, the better
your results.
— Tim Cameron, M.Photog.Cr., CPP
66 www.ppmag.com
Limit the number
of agents to one for
every 40 to 70
classmates.
Offer a free indoor
color session in April
of the student agent’s
junior year.
To showcase your
work, do a free make-up
enhancement session.
Give agents a $25
credit toward an out-
door session (good
until early August).
Agents must place
their orders by mid
August to get package
prices.
Give the agents
personalized digital
wallet portraits to
hand out. On the back
of the prints, place a
sticker offering the
bearer of the card
eight free wallets with
any package ordered.
For each card turned
in, the agent receives
$20 cash; for five to
nine cards, $30 each;
for 10 redeemed cards,
the agent gets a $100
bonus. This win-win
offer motivates both
the agent and the
prospective senior.
Present agents the
same minimum order
requirement as all
your seniors,
but give
them a
5-percent
discount on
the total order.
Require the
signatures of the
agent and one parent
on your agreement
form, to ensure every-
one fully understands
the program, fees, and
deadlines. —Bruce Berg,M.Photog.Cr.,
“Portraits with SeniorReps,” PP Archive
CHECK LIGHTING THE LAZY MAN’S WAY
LIGHT COLOR TEST
Light R G B Fix
Main 95 94.9 95
Fill 95 95 95.2
BG 95 94.7 94.4* X
Hair 95 94.9 97.2** X
Side Fill 95 94.8 94.7
Hair 2 95 94.8 94.5* X
SENIOR MARKETING
RUN A SENIOR AGENT PROGRAM
©Kay Eskridge
Digital capture is less forgivingthan film under mixed color temperatures. You’re
particularly susceptible to unwanted color casts ifyou’re using a hodgepodge of lighting gear with different
color temperatures. Try to use lighting units and modi-fiers from the same manufacturer.
Continued from p. 50
35-38,40,48-50,56,58,64-66-howto 10/15/08 8:46 AM Page 13
67 ACI 10/9/08 8:33 AM Page 1
All images ©Sarah Petty
balanceyour lifeH O W T O
68-71-petty 10/10/08 9:53 AM Page 1
1. KEEP YOUR DAY JOB. It sounds
like a joke, but I’ve seen too many business
owners bite off more than they can chew,
and accrue sizeable debt. Desperate studio
owners make drastic decisions like deep
discounting, which erodes their brand. Have
some income—and confidence—while you
build your brand and your business.
2. SCHEDULE TIME TO WORK
AND TIME TO BE CREATIVE. We all
need quiet time to foster creativity. Try
closing your doors to clients on Mondays
and use the time to do the retouching,
album designing, paperwork, whatever, to
clear your evenings and weekends. Or try
reserving every other Monday afternoon for
creative time. Throughout the week, save up
ideas, clippings, art books, or anything that
inspires you, to review during this time.
3. UNDERSTAND YOUR BUSINESS.
Successful business owners talk about
working on their business as opposed to in
it. Invest the time and money to get an
education in business management. You
can’t make business decisions if you don’t
understand the numbers. I’ve seen new
photographers with potential, but who can’t
really afford the studio mortgage or rent
they’ve taken on. Often, just waiting a year
or two before taking on more expenses
makes the difference between success and
failure. Read over the PPA Studio
Management Services Studio Financial
Build a successful photography business in 40 hours a week or less
BY SARAH PETTY, CR.PHOTOG., CPP
68-71-petty 10/10/08 9:54 AM Page 2
Benchmark Survey Analysis to help you gain
perspective. It truly clarifies your options.
(Members can download the survey analysis
from www.ppa.com).
4. PLAN AND SCHEDULE. John
Hartman, M.Photog.Cr., A-ASP, of Stevens
Point, Wis., one of the strongest marketers
in photography, offers this advice, “If you
want to run a successful business working
40 hours or less, the first thing you need to
do is determine what those hours will be,
then divide them into hours for planning,
public relations/marketing, photographing
and business (bill paying, tax forms, meeting
with insurance salesmen). If you know you
have, say, only 10 hours to plan a marketing
campaign, believe me, you will get focused.
Then, when you’re in your 15 shooting
hours, the creative juices are free to flow.”
Lori Nordstrom, M.Photog.Cr., of Winterset,
Iowa, agrees. “I have to schedule everything
into my calendar,” she says. “I plan everything
—shooting, image editing, sales appoint-
ments, order placement, packaging, marketing,
networking, even the planning is planned.
Everything has a place and someone
assigned to the task, or it doesn’t get done.”
5. AUTOMATE. For production tasks,
maximizing your automation tools in
Photoshop and other imaging software
is simple and efficient. Set up actions,
use hot keys, use templates.
6. MARKET EFFECTIVELY. Use
slowdowns to stretch your marketing
muscles. Budget money annually for
marketing education. Choose instructors
who have similar philosophies, business
models and are successful. I recommend
learning in small groups from someone
who’s where you want to be.
7. LEVERAGE YOUR PRICES. If
you’d rather not schedule weekend sessions,
price to discourage requests. Charge a
higher session fee or minimum order
amount. If you’re giving up personal time
on a gorgeous Saturday, make it worth your
while. Gary Box, Cr.Photog., of Sapulpa,
Okla., tells of a man who insisted that the
70 www.ppmag.com
68-71-petty 10/10/08 9:54 AM Page 3
only day his entire family could get together
for a portrait would be Sunday. Box replied,
“Of course we can book you then. You know
there’s a minimum order amount for
Sunday bookings?” The man said,
“Thursday is lovely.” You can also use value-
added incentives to get clients to do what
you want. For example, if a senior keeps all
of his appointments without rescheduling,
throw in a few wallets, gratis. If the client
orders at the first portrait viewing, reward
him with a gift or special pricing valid for
that day only. It’s amazing how little things
like rescheduling and lagging on ordering
will erode your productivity.
8. WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS. A
Yale University 20-year study on goal setting
among Yale graduates had astounding results:
At the end of 20 years, the 3 percent of the
subjects who had written down clear goals
at the start of the study had amassed more
wealth than the remaining 97 percent put
together. At the very least, invest in some
planning and projections software and build
a goal spreadsheet of your own.
9. SET BOUNDARIES. If you’ve con-
vinced yourself that nobody notices the
laptop in your lap during dinner and
family activities, you’re deluded. Set a finite
time in the evening to your check e-mail,
then turn off the computer.
10. BUY TIME WITH YOUR MONEY.
Recently, when I’d fallen into that working
nights and weekends trap, I brainstormed
about tasks I could hire someone else to do.
I outsourced a pile of accounting, tax and pay-
roll tasks to our accounting firm, which bought
me about day a month. This isn’t a solution
if you don’t yet have the profits to afford to
pay others, but if you do, go for it. !
Sarah Petty Photography is in Springfield,Ill. (www.sarahpetty.com).
‘‘ ’’… even the planning is planned.
Everything has a place and someone
assigned to the task, or it doesn’t get done.—LORI NORDSTROM
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November 2008 Professional Photographer 71
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Professional Photographers of America | www.PPA.com | 800.786.6277 | [email protected]
ON
E O
F T
HE
MA
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FAC
ES
OF
PPA
RULES ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN, AND HARDWORK PAYS OFF…that’s my philosophy. Working as an advertising executive creating branding and campaigns for Fortune 500 companies, I directed photography for years. But I never considered becoming a pro photographer until I parted ways with my last employer and met PPA staff at the 2005 PhotoshopWorld. After taking in PPA and Af!liate education, I started my own photography business. My focus—to teach customers to really have fun with the entire experience—has led me to break six !gures with my !rst full year in business.
AND KNOWING THAT PPA HAS MY BACK JUST MAKES RUNNING MY BUSINESS EASIER.
Nikki LoehrMoxie Photography Studio
PPA Member since 2005
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©Heather Smith
92-96,98,100,102,104-covercontest 10/9/08 10:12 AM Page 1
The 2008 Professional Photographer Cover
Photo Contest drew more than 50,000 entries
from photographers around the world.
From March 1 to May 31, entrants were
invited to submit as many images as they wished
through the magazine’s Web site, ppmag.com.
The first stage of judging was based on
composition and technical competence.
(Was the orientation vertical for the cover
format? Was there room at the top for the
magazine’s masthead? Was the image in
focus? Was the subject matter relevant for
the professional market?) These basic guide-
lines helped Professional Photographer’s
editors narrow the selection to 500 semifinalists.
Enter guest judge Helen Yancy, a past PPA
president with a list of degrees almost as long
as the entry list for the contest (M.Photog.
M.Artist.MEI.Cr.Hon.M.Photog., CPP, API,
F-ASP, to be exact). As a PPA-approved
photographic instructor and a juror of the
PPA International Print Competition, Yancy
brought the perfect mix of experience and
insight into the daunting task of picking a
winner from so many worthy choices.
We asked Yancy to say a little about the
judging process, and what qualities she saw in
the images that inspired or disappointed her.
Professional Photographer: What were you
looking for in the cover contest images? What
were the criteria for a winning image?
Helen Yancy: I started out looking for images
that would qualify for the PPA Loan
Collection, but I quickly discovered that what
makes an excellent Loan image doesn’t nec-
essarily make a good cover image. It’s a very
different process with very different require-
ments. People are quick to criticize cover
image choices, but they probably don’t under-
stand the criteria for selecting a good cover.
Foremost, you look for a strong message
and impeccable technical excellence. Here
The Professional Photographer Cover Photo Contestdraws talent from every corner of the world
BY JEFF KENT
1ST PLACE: HEATHER SMITHLocated in Cumming, Georgia, our first place cover winner, Heather Smith,runs Smith Photo Design with her husband, Steve. With five years experienceas a professional photographer, Smith concentrates on families and children.She created the winning cover image when her youngest daughter wanderedinto her studio as she was preparing for a client session. Smith enlisted herdaughter to help test the lighting setup, barely getting the 13-month-old toslow down long enough to capture this image. “When I downloaded the cardlater, I saw this image and thought to myself, ‘That is so her,’” says Smith.“That is exactly the reaction I want from my clients when they see their images.”Smith lit the scene with Profoto AcuteB heads. She modified her main lightwith a Photoflex 4x6-foot soft box, pulling it close to her daughter tosimulate window light on her face. She set a 42x72-inch Larson ReflectasolSuper Silver reflector opposite the main light. A parabolic reflectorilluminated the background. Smith set up a kicker light behind and oppositethe main light, and modified it with a Photoflex HalfDome Strip Softbox.
Shooting with a Canon EOS 5D camera and a Canon EF 70-200mmf/2.8L IS USM lens, Smith exposed for 1/60 second at f/8, ISO 100.
HELEN YANCY’S TAKE:
KUDOS: “There’s simply nothing wrong with it. This image meets all thetechnical requirements of a good cover. It’s a studio shot that was executedperfectly with excellent lighting. The composition is perfect. It has goodcolor. Content-wise, the image shows a beautiful expression on a darlingchild. The hat she’s wearing says the season is fall, which works perfectly forthe November cover. It’s nothing flashy, just pure simplicity. And simplicityworks. Significantly, this image illustrates exactly what we do as professionalphotographers. It’s a retail portrait that speaks to the readership of themagazine.”
CRITICISM: “Would I put this in the Loan Collection? I don’t know. It’s abread-and-butter image for a portrait photographer, but as professionalphotographers, we’re about bread and butter a lot of the time, so it works.”
November 2008 Professional Photographer 93
Talent rising
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©pea pod photography
92-96,98,100,102,104-covercontest 10/9/08 10:12 AM Page 3
November 2008 Professional Photographer 95
too, the criteria for a magazine cover are
different than those for a competition print.
The composition has to accommodate the
magazine logo and cover text. That rules out
most horizontals, as well as images that take
up most of the frame. Many well-composed
images that would work for a portrait simply
don’t translate to the cover of a magazine.
Clarity is important. The image has to be
perfectly clear to reproduce well on the cover
stock, which is quite different from photo paper.
Color is crucial, even for black-and-white
images, which could exhibit an unwanted
color cast.
Of course, the content is central. PPA
and Professional Photographer have a
message to convey. Cover images have to
reflect the focus of the magazine. Many of
the images we saw were highly creative, but
they didn’t necessarily communicate a
message appropriate for the readership.
Impact is critical. The image must
immediately speak to the viewer without
confusion. While viewing the images, I
looked for something that grabbed my eye
and made me look again.
Finally, we tried to ignore old-fashioned
rules. They haven’t existed in our image
competition for some time, and they don’t
exist when picking a cover image.
What were some common mistakes you saw?
Over-manipulation was a big one. When an
image has all those filters and special effects
applied, it may look nice in the maker’s
prints, but when you convert the file to
CMYK for offset printing, it just falls apart.
I saw a lot of over-sharpening. A heavy
hand killed several images that otherwise
would have been finalists. The over-sharpening
would have been too apparent in the offset-
printed cover.
Soft focus was an issue. Often, selectively
soft focus is acceptable, even in print com-
petition. But again, it wouldn’t necessarily
reproduce well for the cover.
We eliminated images that were overly
contrived or overly casual, like a snapshot. A
good cover image has a natural, unstaged feel.
At the same time, it has to look professionally
created. There’s candid and then there’s snap-
shot. Snapshots won’t make it to the cover.
What impressed you?
The creativity. So many fresh ideas. And the
talent the contestants exhibited. For the
most part, the entrants were working PPA
members, from everywhere in the United
States and abroad. Overall, I was very
impressed.
What’s your top suggestion to all those
aspiring cover photographers?
Consider how your images will be used. There
were so many beautiful images I wanted to
select but couldn’t because the composition
wouldn’t work. Bottom line, a cover image is
about selling the magazine. It needs to attract
viewers, make them want to pick up the
magazine and read it.
TO THE WINNERS GO THE SPOILS
Professional Photographer picked five top images, one of them the grand prize winner on thecover of this issue. In addition to being included in the Cover Photo Contest feature article,the top five photographers were awarded a package of prizes from the contest’s sponsors:
The FIRST PLACE WINNER received an Elinchrom Digital Style 300RX/600RX 2-Monolight Kit and Skyport RX Trigger Set (retail value $2,773), a Canon EOS 40D digitalSLR (retail value $2,300), a $1,000 prize package from Miller’s Professional Imaging, a$1,000 lab credit from Kodak Professional, and a Microsoft Photography WorkflowPackage valued at $1,700.
SECOND PLACE landed a Gitzo tripod and ball head (retail value $1,077), a CanonPowerShot G9 digital camera (retail value $599), and a $500 lab credit with Kodak Professional.
THIRD PLACE went home with a $600 Microsoft Expression Studio Package. FOURTH PLACE received a $500 Miller’s Professional Imaging Studio Sample Package.FIFTH PLACE earned a Manfrotto 055XPROB Tripod, a Manfrotto 056 3D Junior
Head and Kata KT OC-84 Photo Organizer (total retail value $500).
2ND PLACE: HEATHER LEEDHeather Leed of Pea Pod Photography in Lancaster County, Pa., createdour second-place winner to show the love of a mother for her child. “Thebaby was sitting on the mother’s lap, and I posed her to lean over the babyso the light would fall gently over both of them,” remembers Leed. “Ibacklit them and told the mother to relax, give her baby a gentle kiss,think about how much she loves him, and forget that I was there.”
Working with a Canon EOS 5D camera and a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8LUSM lens, Leed exposed for 1/125 second at f/8, ISO 100. She illuminated thescene with Photogenic studio lights modified by a Larson 4x6-foot soft box.
HELEN YANCY’S TAKE:
KUDOS: “This image displays excellent expression. The love on themother’s face is amazing. It tells a great story and is a beautiful image. A very near miss.”
CRITICISM: “When we produced a cover mockup, the resolution on themother’s forehead was off. The transition from light to dark just fell apart.“In a print competition, we’d have looked long and hard at the ear, but thatwasn’t so much of a concern here—the magazine title would have gone rightacross that ear.”
92-96,98,100,102,104-covercontest 10/9/08 10:13 AM Page 4
3RD PLACE:MARIELABBANCZ
When Marie Labbancz wasapproached by designerMilliner Artikal tophotograph her new line ofbridal headgear, she jumpedat the chance, especiallywhen the client offered hertotal artistic freedom. Theowner of Marie LabbanczPhotography in Princeton,N.J., envisioned a highfashion editorial look. “I am inspired by all theamazing editorial images inEuropean fashion maga-zines,” she says. “In myeyes, the photographers inthese publications are thetrue photographic artists ofour day.”
Employing natural lightand silver reflectors in herfavorite loft studio inPhiladelphia, Labbanczexposed for 1/80 second atf/2.8, ISO 160. She workedwith a Canon EOS 5D cameraand Canon EF 70-200mmf/2.8L IS USM lens.
HELEN YANCY’STAKE:
KUDOS: “Almosteverything is right.Composition and exposureare perfect. This image wasdesigned for a cover anddone extremely well. It’spowerful. It’s fashion.”
CRITICISM: “Lookingclosely, it became apparentthat the subject’s beautifulolive skin would have turnedgreen when converted toCMYK and printed.Sometimes that’s all thatkeeps an image off thecover—how it wouldreproduce in the particularprinting format on theparticular paper. And there’sa bit of a dull look to thesubject’s eyes. That alsokept it out of first place.”
©Marie Labbancz
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97 adorama 4 10/9/08 8:35 AM Page 1
4TH PLACE: JENNIFER FIELDS
Located near Kansas City, Jennifer Fields runs J.Fields Photography. Shecaptured the fourth-place winner using her daughter as the model. Holdingthe camera low and shooting upward as her daughter swung away from her,Fields exposed for 1/500 second at f/9, ISO 400. She shot with a CanonEOS 30D camera and Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens.
“The sky and light were just perfect that day,” she remembers. “Thesun was slightly diffused behind some clouds, and there was just the rightcombination of clouds and blue sky.” Fields processed the RAW image inAdobe Lightroom and created two different exposures (one exposing forthe clouds and the other for her daughter). She blended the two versions inPhotoshop for the ideal combination of subject and background.
HELEN YANCY’S TAKE:
KUDOS: “This image is so fresh, so vital. I can’t see the subject’s face,but I know she’s laughing. The sky is wonderfully exposed. There’s greatresolution. It has almost everything we were looking for.”
CRITICISM: “There isn’t enough space at the top of the image for the mast-head. That composition element is all that kept it out of the top spot. Thatsaid, I wouldn’t change the image. If there had been room at the top, the view-point of the subject wouldn’t have been above my head. That’s where sheneeds to be for this image to be effective. She needs to be above, flying highinto the sky. So what works for a great image doesn’t always work for a cover.”
5TH PLACE: LAURA KAY WOOTAN
Laura Kay Wootan, owner of The Smile House in San Marcos, Texas,created the fifth-place image during a session with little Katie, who
she’s photographed since Katie was a newborn. “I wanted to create afun, unique portrait that would work well with some of the other
portraits I had already done for this family,” says Wootan. Using a single AlienBees B800 flash modified by a 2x3-foot Larson
soft box, Wootan lit the scene to make it look like Katie was in a regular kitchen, not a photo studio. She shot with a Nikon D200 camera and an AF-S Zoom Nikkor 17-35mm
f/2.8D ED-IF lens, exposing for 1/125 second at f/6.3. Wootan set ISO to 100 and white balance to 5,000K.
HELEN YANCY’S TAKE:
KUDOS: “Expression, expression, expression! The face is incredible.The way the photographer captured the expression is just wonderful. I
also like the creativity of representing this little girl as an adult.”
CRITICISM: “The hands are a little soft. That’s the only knock onthis image, and the only thing that kept it out of the top spot.”
©J.Fields Photography 2008
©Laura Kay Wootan
92-96,98,100,102,104-covercontest 10/9/08 10:13 AM Page 6
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HONORABLE MENTION
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Carrie SandovalFallbrook, California
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Carla NelmsMidlothian, Virginia
Lindsay DochertySan Francisco, California
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Future EventsJanuary 24-26, 2009C: PP of Nebraska, Midtown Holiday Inn,Grand Island, Neb.; Jeff Funk, 402-991-4413,[email protected]
January 31 - February 3, 2009C: PP of Iowa, Airport Holiday Inn, DesMoines, Iowa; Chris Brinkopf, P.O. Box 108,Sumner, IA 50674; 563-578-1126;[email protected]
February 6-9, 2009C: Maryland PPA, Columbia, Md.; John Stein, 240-344-1460; [email protected]
February 6-10, 2009C: PP of Michigan, James B. Henry Center,Lansing, Mich.; Scott Green, 248-318-5182;[email protected]; www.ppm.org
February 6-8, 2009C: PP of West Virginia; Morgantown, W.V.; TomGilson, 304-232-3686; [email protected];www.ppwv.org
February 6-10, 2009C: PP of South Carolina, Myrtle Beach. S.C.;Wilber Jeffcoat, wilber@jeffcoatphotography;www.ppofsc.com
February 13-15, 2009C: PP of West Virginia, Morgantown, W.V.;Tom Gilson, 304-232-3686; [email protected]; www.ppwv.org
February 15-16, 2009S: PPA of Pennsylvania, Radisson Hotel andConference Center, Camp Hill, Pa.; Scott Weldon, 610-641-9025; [email protected]; ppaofpa.org
February 20-23, 2009C: PP of Oregon, Embassy Suites Hotel, PDX,Portland, Ore.; John Alexander, 541-382-5587;[email protected]; www.pporegon.com
February 20-23, 2009C: PP of Massachusetts; Steve Meier, 781-829-4282; [email protected]; www.ppam.com
February 20-25, 2009C: Virginia PPA, Renaissance Hotel,Portsmouth, Va.; William Garrett, 434-836-2751; [email protected]
February 26-March 4, 2009C: PP of North Carolina; Sheraton ImperialHotel, Durham, N.C.; Loretta Byrd, 888-404-7762; [email protected]; www.ppofnc.com
February 27-March 3, 2009C: Wisconsin PPA, Marriott Conference Center,Madison, Wis.; Mary Gueller, 920-753-5302;Mary Mortensen, 262-754-8889; Deb Wiltsey,866-382-9772; wppa-online.com
March 15-18, 2009C: Mid-America Regional, Decatur ConferenceCenter, Decatur, Ill.; Jill Sanders, 309-697-9015;[email protected]
March 19-23, 2009C: PP of California, Pasadena ConferenceCenter, Pasadena, Calif.; Roger B. Daines,[email protected]; www.prophotoca.com
March 28-31, 2009C: Heart of America, KCI Expo Center, KansasCity, Mo.; Stephen Harvey, 620-624-4102;[email protected]; www.hoappa.com
March 28-31, 2009C: PPSNYS, Desmond Hotel, Albany, N.Y.;Kelvin Ringold, 315-451-3716;[email protected]; www.ppsnys.com
March 28-31, 2009C: PPA New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M.;Jessica Lozoya, 505-243-1007; [email protected];www.ppanm.com
April 3-7, 2009C: PP of Washington Western States, Great Wolf Lodge, Grand Mound, Wash.; Lisa Lamping, 503-861-1200;[email protected]; www.ppw.org
April 3-8, 2009C: Minnesota PPA; Joanie Ford, 763-560-7783;[email protected]; mnppa.com
April 19-21, 2009C: PPA of Pennsylvania, Radisson Hotel andConference Center, Camp Hill, Pa.; Scott Weldon, 610-641-9025; [email protected]; ppaofpa.org
April 19-22, 2009C: Northern Light, Breezy Point, Minn.; JeffFifield, 218-722-3777; [email protected]; NicoleBugnacki, P.O. Box 567, Ironton, MN, 56455; 763-390-6272; www.nlpp.org
April 25-28, 2009C: SEPPA, Athens, Ga.; Tom McCollum, 770-972-8552; [email protected];ww.4seppa.com
April 25-28, 2009C: New Hampshire PPA, North Conway, N.H.;Don Chick, 603-335-4448; [email protected]; www.nhppa.com
April 26-28, 2009S: PP of Michigan, Inn at Bay Harbor, BayHarbor, Mich.; Scott Green, 248-318-5182;[email protected]; www.ppm.org
April 26-28, 2009C: PPA New Jersey, Atlantic City, N.J.; Leslie,866-985-4300; [email protected];www.ppanj.com
June 14-15, 2009S: PPA of Pennsylvania, Radisson Hotel andConference Center, Camp Hill, Pa.; Scott Weldon, 610-641-9025; [email protected]; ppaofpa.org
August 8-12, 2009C: Tennessee PPA, Marriott Cool Springs,Franklin, Tenn.; Ernie K. Johnson, 615-509-5737; [email protected]; tnppa.com
106 www.ppmag.com
calendarSubmit your organization’s convention, workshop,seminar or exhibition dates to ProfessionalPhotographer at least six months in advance.Editors reserve the right to select events to beannounced on these pages, and to determinewhen announcements will appear. Editors arenot responsible for conflicting or incorrect dates.For readers’ convenience, each event is identifiedby a code preceding its name: C=Convention,W=Workshop, S=Seminar, C/E=Approved PPAContinuing Education Seminar, E=Exhibit. Sendall Calendar of Events additions or correctionsto: Marisa Pitts, Professional Photographer,229 Peachtree St., NE, Suite 2200, Atlanta, GA30303; FAX: 404-614-6404; [email protected].
Professional Photographers of America (PPA)has a proud tradition of providing its memberswith outstanding educational opportunitiesthrough its annual events, PPA-Merited classesand its PPA Affiliate School Network. Don’tmiss out on the vital knowledge you’ll gain atthese events! For information on PPA events,call 800-786-6277 or visit www.ppa.com.
December 8-10, 2008Studio Management Services, Atlanta
January 11-13, 2009Imaging USA, Phoenix
January 10-12, 2010Imaging USA, Nashville
Certification ExamJanuary 11-13, 2009, Imaging USA,Phoenix. Call 800-786-6277 to register.
February 6, May 8, August 7, October 9,2009: Certification image submissiondeadlines online
For a complete list of exam dates, go towww.ppa.com and click on Certification.
PPA EVENTS, EXAMS & REVIEWS
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August 21-22, 2009C: PP of California, South San FranciscoConference Center, S. San Francisco, Calif.;Roger B. Daines; [email protected];www.prophotoca.com
Septemer 19-21, 2009C: PP of Nebraska, Midtown Holiday Inn,Grand Island, Neb.; Teri Funk, 402-991-4413,[email protected]
September 20-22, 2009S: PP of Michigan, Crystal Mountain,Thompsonville, Mich.; Scott Green, 248-318-5182; [email protected]; www.ppm.org
October 4-6, 2009S: PPA of Pennsylvania, Radisson Hotel andConference Center, Camp Hill, Pa.; Scott Weldon, 610-641-9025; [email protected]; ppaofpa.org
October 18-21, 2009C: APPI, Decatur Conference Center,Decatur, Ill.; Jill Sanders, 309-697-9015;[email protected]
November 1-2, 2009S: PP of Iowa, Airport Holiday Inn, DesMoines, Iowa; Chris Brinkopf, 563-578-1126;[email protected]; www.ppiowa.com
November 1-2, 2009S: Northern Light/MPPA Fall Seminar, St. Cloud,Minn.; Nicole Bugnacki, 763-390-6272;[email protected]; www.mnppa.com
November 6-8, 2009C: PP of Indiana, Marriott East, Indianapolis,Ind.; Terry Bateman, 317-253-6245; [email protected]; www.ppofi.org
February 6-9, 2010C: PP of Iowa, Airport Holiday Inn, DesMoines, Iowa; Chris Brinkopf, 563-578-1126;[email protected]; www.ppiowa.com
February 18-21, 2010C: Mid American PPA, Marriott East,Indianapolis, Ind.; Terry Bateman, 317-253-6245;[email protected]
February 19-23, 2009C: PP of Michigan, Troy Marriott, Troy,Mich.; Scott Green, 248-318-5182;[email protected]; www.ppm.org
February 26-March 2, 2010C: Wisconsin PPA, Radisson Hotel, Green Bay,Wis.; Donna Swiecichowski, 920-822-1200;Carl Caylor, 906-779-1535; wppa-online.com
April 10-13, 2010C: Heart of America, KCI Expo Center, KansasCity, Mo.; Stephen Harvey, 620-624-4102;[email protected]; www.hoappa.com
Call 631-656-7400, visit www.qtm.com or your professional photo dealer for more information.
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PPA-Approved ContinuingEducation SeminarsPPA members receive both merits and thebest published prices.
Future eventsFebruary 16-18, 2009C/E: The Artistry Corel Painter Retreat,Malibu, Calif.; 818-981-2803;www.artistrymag.com
February 19-20, 2009C/E: The artistry GARTEL MarketingSeminar, Calif.; 818-981-2803; www.artistrymag.com
March 15, 2009C/E: Advanced Outdoor Lighting Techniqueswith Jeff Dachowski; Alexandria, Va.;Stephanie Millner, 703-349-6269
March 15-20, 2009C/E: Georgia Group I Mentoring Class; Paul Wingler, 800-483-6208;[email protected]
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEDennis Craft, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, F-ASP2008-2009 PPA President
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I know the truth to the statement: “if we stop taking care of what we have, we soon will lose it.”
Ten years ago, we bought 13 acres outside Marshall, Mich., that had been a bed and breakfast. We are still in the process of turning the property into what we want, and there always seems to be something that needs to be done. For instance, the property is blessed with stone walls built in the
‘40s and maintained over the years. For the !rst eight years, I paid to have the wall repaired. Then, I decided to learn how to maintain the walls myself. I had someone show me the basics, and I practiced from there. It was very clear from the beginning that if you don’t start with a good foundation, what you build will not last.
Our businesses are much the same as that wall. We need to know the basics of photography and business, so that we have a secure foundation when we build our businesses. When I bought
my studio in 1979, I knew nothing about either subject. It didn’t take me long to realize that if I was going to stay in business, I had better learn both.
PPA was founded with the goal of education, and it did a great job of teaching photographers how to become even better. But I feel that it has only been the last ten years where we have put the same emphasis on teaching members about their businesses. There are many to thank for this turn of events, one being the PPA Board of Directors. It was their long-range vision for our industry that helped them make the time and resource commitment needed to see this succeed. There were also members who, from the beginning, were willing to help make business education what it has become today. One such person is Ann Monteith. Her service and inspiration for teaching sound business principles have changed the businesses of many PPA members.
For almost thirty years, I have made it a goal to become better with both my camera and my business. Like my stone wall, if I neglect either, I am putting everything I have worked for in jeopardy. We are blessed to have within our PPA family so many giving individuals willing to share. Some will help me be a better photographer, while others will help me navigate the business climate of the next few years.
This month, Cameron and her staff are dedicating Professional Photographer magazine to essentials, the how-to of photography and business. Enjoy the industry’s !nest magazine as we go back to basics.
Dennis Craft, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, F-ASP2008-2009 PPA President
FRIENDS MET ALONG THE WAYOne of the bene!ts of being president is the opportunity I have had to represent PPA…and meet people along the way.
For example, I had the privilege of attending the Florida convention at the end of August and spending time with Kirk Kief, president of the Florida group. Knowing some of the extra activities Kirk is involved in, it is amazing that he still found time to serve on the board in Florida. PPA is blessed to have dedicated people
like Kirk, who give of their time and effort to make photography better.
I also attended the Michigan summer seminar before the school started, meeting up with Dave and Denise Boyce and Red Enos. I can’t remember when our friendship started, but I count it a privilege when we spend time together. They give many hours to make the Michigan group better, and I know it’s done for the love of photography. Then, I got the chance to talk with friends, old and new: John Marion, who continues to inspire me
(what he sees in his mind and creates with a camera/computer is genius); and Jackie Palmer, one of the nicest, most energetic photographers in the Michigan group (always willing to share what she knows with a smile).
These are some of the people I have crossed paths with since I last wrote. We spend so much time on “things” and very little on building relations. This month, I hope you take note of those around you who teach and inspire. We have much to be thankful for.
TODAY NOVEMBER | 08
© Rod Gleason © Ryan Brown
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Photography obviously changes, as does every industry. But don’t forget what PPA Board Member Tim Walden of Walden’s Photography says: “We sell experience as much as we sell anything else.”
Technology expands photographers’ tools and clients become savvier as they have greater exposure to it. This gives both great ability and great challenges, according to Walden. “We can do so many things with the technology that we can lose the substance behind our imagery,” he comments.
“It’s easy to forget [in portraiture] that we’re in the ‘!attery business,’” continues Walden. “We need to keep focused on those goals of portraying relationships and creating images of value.”
So if learning the new technology is not the end-all answer for bettering
yourself in photography, what else can you do? Education is the obvious answer, as Walden says. But he believes that while you should get all the education you can, the key lies in applying the knowledge.
“You can’t teach experience,” adds Walden. “But everything you do learn has a strange way of overlapping and helping. Anything you do in the industry "ts in like pieces of the puzzle.” For instance, Walden’s "rst job was with a printer, working in a darkroom. He believes he is better as a photographer because he knows what it takes to make a good print, thanks to that job. And Walden has some experience in commercial photography, which he’s able to apply to portraiture almost every day.
Walden also believes that keeping your business fresh involves more than photographic techniques. Again, it’s all about the experience. In
Walden’s studio, for example, they move furniture around often and play movies and music that re!ect the season. They also read a lot of business books, which challenge them to rethink. And they look at businesses—from car dealerships to restaurants—for ideas on what to do and not to do. “It’s the little things…as simple as the way we’re greeted,” Walden explains. “Was it memorable? Was the person sincere? Did we feel a welcoming spirit?”
Yes, your photography is essential, but photography is much more than the "nal prints. “I’m less concerned with people liking my style. I just want them to KNOW what I do because then those who like it will come,” says Walden emphatically. “If there’s no distinction to my work, people will only shop by price and location.” And as you can see, that distinction comes from the entire experience.
If you haven’t chatted on the OurPPA forums recently, you might be missing some big changes! The forums have moved to share a home with the new PPA.com, so all photographers have easy access. And no worries…you can still "nd great ideas, critiques, and professional help from the OurPPA forums. In fact, why don’t
you get online now? You might "nd a solution to a problem waiting for you there. After all, you’ll be talking to professionals like yourself!
PPA members will "nd that the new username and password they created for the new PPA.com gives them full access to these forums. If you’re
not a PPA member, haven’t visited OurPPA for awhile, and can’t log in to the new location, you might need to create a new account (click the red Register button). Of course, you can always join PPA as a full member, too!
www.PPA.com/community/forums
Master Photographer Morris Enger of Clayton, Mo., passed away April 27, 2008, at the age of 95. A life member of PPA, Morris and his wife Clara owned and operated Binder Adelier
Studio, a well-known portrait studio in St. Louis, from the early ‘30s to the mid-
‘80s. A testament to his imagery, he won many awards at PPA conferences, and his work was even on the
cover of !"#$%&&'#()*+!,#-#.")/,%"+magazine June 5, 1941. A collection of his portraits is in the archives of the Missouri Historical Society.
BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
CONVERSATIONS ON OURPPA.COM
IN MEMORY MORRIS ENGER, M.PHOTOG.
Tim Walden M.PHOTOG.CR, F-ASP
PPA Member since: 1989
Shoots: PORTRAITS
Location: LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
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2008 AN-NE MARKETING AWARD WINNERSThe results are in! The entries in the 2008 AN-NE Marketing Awards competition have been the cause of many a judge’s headache…because the entries were so close in quality. This is a good thing. Listed below are those who made it to the top on an average of the three judges’ scores (based on effectiveness, professionalism, and a host of other qualities):
EMERGING PROThis newest AN-NE Marketing Award was the most dif!cult category to judge. Many of these entrants stood at the top of their speci!c AN-NE categories themselves! The panel of judges looked at all the entries from members in business !ve years or less and debated their way to the top three.
WINNER: Barron & Barron Photography (David & Bonnye Barron)League City, TX!"#$%&'()$*')+,$)'-.'//'%)$0'12//)&*)342/&567)'88'.5&0'*'((7)2*%)4*&34')91'('*525&$*):+&5,)2)(&"9/')91&.'/&(5;
FINALIST:Melissa MiroslavichMiroslavich PhotographyWoodbury, MN!"#$%&'()$*')+,$),&5)5,')#4//(<'6')$8),'1)521='5)"21>'5):+&5,)2*)?"2=')@21>'5&*=).2"92&=*;
FINALIST:Catherine LeonardCatherine Leonard PhotographyWashingtonville, NY!"#$%&'()$*')+,$)#1$>')5,')"$/%):+&5,)2)A'#)(&5';
BEST FAMILY & CHILDREN CAMPAIGNWINNER: David McKayMcKay PhotographyEl Dorado Hills, CA
FINALISTS:Debi GomezLife’s Images PhotographySpring, TX
Sarah Petty Photography (Sarah Petty, Kari Abate, Andria Crawford)Spring!eld, IL
BEST HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR CAMPAIGNWINNER: Barbara BarryIn-Vision Studio, Inc.Pittsburgh, PA
FINALISTS:Darty HinesColleen & Co.Halifax, PA
Box Portrait Gallery (Gary & Pamela Box)Sapulpa, OK
BEST IMAGE MARKETING CAMPAIGNWINNER: Farrah BraniffFarrah Braniff PhotographsHouston, TX
FINALISTS:Kimberly WylieKimberly Wylie PhotographyDallas, TX
Melissa MiroslavichMiroslavich PhotographyWoodbury, MN
BEST INDIVIDUAL MARKETING PIECEWINNER:Barron & Barron Photography (David & Bonnye Barron)League City, TX
FINALISTS:Farrah BraniffFarrah Braniff PhotographsHouston, TX
Gen LevyPrecious Things PhotographyChicago, IL
BEST ONLINE MARKETING CAMPAIGNWINNER: Wendy RouleauPortraits by WendyBuford, GA
FINALISTS:Sarah Petty Photography (Sarah Petty, Kari Abate, Andria Crawford)Spring!eld, IL
Trista BlouinLook Who Just Blouin PhotographyPensacola, FL
BEST USE OF MULTIMEDIAWINNER: Beth ForesterBeth Forester PhotographyMadison, WV
FINALISTS:Paul OwenPaul Owen Photography, LLCNew Berlin, WI
Kathi CorderKathi Corder PhotographyMcArthur, CA
BEST WEB SITEWINNER: Melissa MiroslavichMiroslavich PhotographyWoodbury, MN
FINALISTS:MCG Photography, LLC (James McGavick & Corrie McGovern)Charleston, SC
Kimberly LarsonLife is Art Photography, LLCStevens Point, WI
BEST WEDDING CAMPAIGNWINNER: Christa Hoffarth[studio]South Lake Tahoe, CA
NO FINALISTS IN THIS CATEGORY
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DELTA SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHYFebruary 8 – 12, 2009 | Hot Springs, ARContact: Gary or Kathryn Meek; [email protected]; 501-624-3195Web site: www.deltaschool.comTuition: $495 (for standard classes); $695 (for Advanced Painter)Course Information: Advanced Painter – Jim Cunningham Photoshop – Don Emmerich The Essentials of Photography: A PPA Certi!cation Class – Gary Meek
Basic Studio Operations – Bob LloydAdvanced Portraiture – Rick Trummer Children – Ernie & Loraine JohnsonWeddings: Let’s Kick it up a Notch – John Michael Hanna
EVERGREEN SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHYFebruary 8 – 12, 2009 Vancouver, WAContact: Sam Gardner; [email protected] site: www.ppw.orgTuition: $775 for most courses (includes meals)
Course Information:Fundamentals of Photography – Study the essentials of portrait photography to prepare for the Certi!cation process. Topics range from controlling depth of !eld to digital !le management (emphasis on creating professional-quality images with dimension and light control). The Certi!cation exam will be offered Thursday, but this in-depth study of photographic skills and techniques will prove valuable for years to come, well beyond any test you take.
AFFILIATE SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT
WINONA COMES HOMEWinona…if you’ve been in photography for awhile, you probably remember that name. For many years, it was the name of education in pro photography. The Winona School of Professional Photography ended up being the central location for all photography education by Professional Photographers of America. But it didn’t get its beginning with PPA, and it is going back home in 2009.
To understand the birth of Winona School, you have to understand the movement behind it, according to Robert McCarty, Cr.Photog. In the late 1880s, a changing job market gave people more time to learn new skills and take vacations. Many in the New York area camped around Chautauqua Lake and heard from guest speakers about different subjects. These educational camps became known as “chautauquas.”
At the turn of the century, several inventions contributed to a rising interest in photography. This led the
Winona Assembly, a Northern Indiana chautauqua (near a lake known as Winona Lake), to have a weeklong summer class on photography. As those classes became more popular, a structure was built to house them.
When the chautauqua movement started to fade, a photography group called the Daguerre Club of Indiana put in $100 each to take over that building and keep the education alive. Under the Daguerre Club, the Winona School housed face-to-face critiques (peer judging) and peer-to-peer teaching, one of the !rst photography organizations to do so. As this school grew, the Daguerre Club turned to PPA, showing them how this school was something the entire association needed. The leaders of PPA agreed, and PPA took over the reins.
What’s so great about the Winona experience, you ask? The students stayed in homes of residents, absorbed the intense classes until their minds were over"owing with information and ideas, and went to bars and
restaurants after classes to sit until midnight and talk about what they’d learned. And that’s just part of what McCarty himself remembers. “A week in Winona totally changed careers,” he says. Ask around…anyone who’s been can tell you their experience like it was yesterday.
Later, Winona School was moved to Chicago, near the PPA Headquarters. When PPA moved to Atlanta, the Winona School followed. Then, about 1999, the school’s name was changed, and “Winona” was retired as the name of photographic education. But that’s about to change, too! The Daguerre Club and the Professional Photographers of Indiana petitioned to have the Winona name back for their Af!liate School.
This simple name has a long, illustrious history. Will it live up to its name? Why don’t you go and !nd out? The Winona International School of Photography (formerly IPAS) takes place June 14 – 17, 2009. The Winona name is back in business.
Have you ever wondered exactly what should be submitted to the Electronic Imaging Competition portion of print competitions? Well, now there’s an article that can help clear up some of those questions! Kaye L. Frey, M.Photog.M.Artist.MEI.Cr., a PEC
Committee Member, wrote an article called, “Clearing Up Some Confusion about PPA’s Electronic Imaging Competition.” And we have it online! Full of detailed image examples and explanations about what, how, and where to enter, this is the article
everyone wanting to enter the EI competition needs to read. Go to www.PPA.com to view the entire article (visit the International Print Competition at the Competitions page).
ELECTRONIC IMAGING: CLEARING UP SOME CONFUSION
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PPA Charities hosts a Celebration event before Imaging USA officially begins. Featuring fun,
fellowship, and food (including live and silent auctions to benefit the charity), the evening kicks off with a
VIP Cocktail Hour from 8:00pm-9:00pm andis open to all after 9:00pm.
To attend the VIP event, select the PPA Charities Event option when you register online for Imaging USA.
Get the full scoop at www.ImagingUSA.org/spec_events.php.
Join fellow PPA photographers and exhibitors at the first annual PPA Charities Golf Tournament. Your
registration fee paves the way for loads of fun:
Golf fee and car feesPractice balls and custom score card
Sparky Club Crest (ASU bag tag)Official scoring by professional staff
Sun Devil Patio Awards BBQ Awards Luncheon and more!
Visit www.PPAcharities.com/events.html for additional details.
Golf outing at ASU Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, AZ - 8:00amCelebration at Alice Coopers Town - 8:00pm
!"#$%&%'( www.ImagingUSA.orgwww.PPAcharities.com
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THIS SECTION ISTHE MONTHLYRESOURCEPHOTOGRAPHERSUSE TO FIND THE PRODUCTSTHEY NEED. PUTYOUR MESSAGEPROMINENTLY IN FRONT OFINDUSTRY PROSAND STARTTURNINGBROWSERS INTO BUYERS.
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ACCOUNTINGCPAs FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS. Business set-up, tax planningand preparation, business valuations and consulting. Decadesof experience. Darryl Bodnar, CPA, 410-453-5500,[email protected]. Visit our website at www.nlgroup.com.
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COMPUTER/SOFTWARESUCCESSWARE®—Studio Management Software availablefor both Windows® and Macintosh®. Recommended by AnnMonteith, the nation’s foremost studio managementconsultant. Call today for a FREE SuccessWare® Tour 800-593-3767 or visit our Web site www.SuccessWare.net.
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PHOTOSHOP TEMPLATES AND DIGITAL BACKGROUNDS.Delmiaco.com has fully customizable Photoshop templatessold in layered .psd format. Collections include: Christmas,Holidays, Weddings, Birth Announcements, Birthday, Gradua-tion, Calendars and more. Also available are high qualitydigital backdrops. Visit www.delmiaco.com for more details.
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FREE DIGITAL PAINTING TUTORIALS. The Digital PaintShop has FREE goodies from a variety of artists includingPainter Master Marilyn Sholin. Tutorials for Painter andPhotoshop, actions, brushes, textures, eyelashes and more.The Digital Paint Shop is about everything Digital Art.Register for one of the Painting Workshops in Asheville,NC and other locations; www.digitalpaintingshop.com
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PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER. Company: Club Services ofAmerica. Description: Family portrait photographer with wander-lust. Great earning potential for excellent family photographerwith quality portrait experience. Photograph and sell toCountry Club members throughout the United States. Manyassignments are where the weather is good: south in the winterand north in the summer. OK to travel with spouse. PPACertified or Masters of Photography are preferred. See our web-site at: www.clubservicesofamerica.com. Email resume andsample portraits to [email protected]. Requirements:Must have tools of the trade and a dependable automobile.Family portrait photographer. Some sales experience.Excellent knowledge of digital photography.
HELP WANTED: Assistant photographer for contemporary pho-tojournalistic wedding coverages in Orange County, CA area. Musthave digital equipment. E-mail John at [email protected].
INCORPORATION SERVICES
INCORPORATE OR FORM an LLC today! Your art isa business. Treat it like one. The Company Corporation canhelp you incorporate or form a limited liability company in aslittle as ten minutes. We are fast, accurate and affordable.Provide additional credibility to your photography studio orbusiness at the fraction of the cost of using an attorney.Call 1-800-206-7276 or visit www.corporate.com today!
INSURANCEOnline Photography Insurance. Quotes. Tom C. Pickard Insurance.www.tcpinsurance.com 800-726-3701, ext. 117. Lic. 0555411
LAB SERVICESFREE 20X30
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ACADEMY PRODUCTIONS INC.INNOVATIVE PRINTING SOLUTION
Complete Imaging Service for today’s professionalphotographer Processing—Proofing—Film—Digital Files
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SCHOOL & SPORTS PACKAGES“Green Screen”—With Hundreds of Different Backgrounds
Galeone Photo Lab2161 Greenspring Drive Timonium, MD 21093
410-252-5355 [email protected] for pricing.
HAND PAINTED OILS; Transparent, Deluxe, and CanvasStretched up to 40x60. A complete photo art lab servingphotographers since 1965. Traditional and Digital printingservices. Fiber based B&W up to 30x40. Giclee Fine Artprints. Restoration. Free estimates & pricing guide. 800-922-7459 Venetian Arts www.venetianarts.com
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Inexpensive MARKETING SOLUTIONS that produce aHUGE RESPONSE for seniors children, family, weddings.FRANK DONNINO; WWW.FRANKSBABYPLAN.COM
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It’s All About the PicturesProof and sell your images Online.Simple.
PHOTO RESTORATION1st PHOTO RESTORATION FREE! Try us, you’ll like us!Point & click easy. No sign up cost. 100% guarantee.Online leader since 1993. Wholesale only to professionals.www.hollywoodfotofix.com or call 888-700-3686.
PHOTOS WANTEDVINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS from 1860’s-1970’s: Movie Stills,Celebrity Candids, Music, Sports, Crime, War/Political,Wire Photos, Negatives, Glass Slides, and Transparencies.WILL BUY ENTIRE COLLECTIONS! FINDERS FEES PAID!Ralph 800-392-4050 or [email protected]
PRESENTATION BOXESBOXES—FREE SAMPLE PRESENTATION BOX—FROMTHE ORIGINAL BLACK BOX MANUFACTURE—Fast delivery,Finest quality 4"x5", 5"x5", 4"x6", 8"x10", 11"x14", 16"x20",20"x24". AUFENGER BOX, 4800 COLLEY AVE., NORFOLK,VIRGINIA 23508; 757-440-1147 (phone); 757-440-1149(fax); 888-440-1146 (toll free). www.aufengerbox.com
PRESENTATION BOXES available for immediate shipment;19 sizes—4 stock colors. For FREE catalog & samples call800-969-2697 or fax request 800-861-4528. BUYDIRECT AND SAVE. NPD Box Company, 3000 QuigleyRoad, Cleveland, OH 44113. www.NPDBox.com
ClassifiedAdvertising
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November 2008 Professional Photographer 129
H-B Photo E-Store Box Manufacturer, buy direct and save.Complete Line of presentation boxes, better quality at lowerprices. Bags, Totes, Tissue, Ribbons, customize with your logo.WWW.H-BPHOTO.COM H-B PACKAGING GROUPCENTRAL FALLS, RI. Call 401-725-3646 for free samples.
RETOUCHINGWHEN YOUR NAME is on the line, nothing but the bestwill ever do. Our retouchers know what you need: fastservice, a retouch that looks like the photo was neveraltered and the lowest prices in the industry. If you demandthe best log onto www.retouchup.com and your first 10retouches are free just to prove our claims—the best—thefastest and the least expensive or call 888-700-3686.
SALES AIDSBOXES—FROM THE ORIGINAL BLACK BOX MANUFAC-TURE—FREE SAMPLE—Fast delivery, Finest quality 4”x5”,5”x5”, 4”x6”, 8”x10”, 11”x14”, 16”x20”, 20”x24”. AUFENGERBOX, 4800 COLLEY AVENUE, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA23508; 757-440-1147 (phone); 757-440-1149 (fax);888-440-1146 (toll free). www.aufengerbox.com
CREATIVE FRAMES…Designed frames for theprofessional wedding, portrait and school photographers.Our frames are manufactured here in the USA. Visit us atWWW.CREATIVEFRAME.COM to see our full line.
5000 POSTCARDS $149 UV Coated5,000 Business cards for $60.00
www.colorphotobusinesscards.com $10 off /with ad
STUDIO FOR SALE
A WELL-ESTABLISHED, SUCCESSFUL TURNKEY PHOTO-GRAPHIC BUSINESS IN A HIGH VISIBILITY, FASHIONABLEAREA OF NORTH FLORIDA. OPEN FIFTEEN YEARS, NOWWITH FULL FILM AND DIGITAL PROCESSING, WIDE FORMATPRINTING, LUCIDIOM AND FUJI KIOSKS, SPACIOUS-EQUIPPED STUDIO, LIGHTING, CAMERAS, BACKGROUNDSAND MUCH MORE. READY TO HAND OVER TO CONTINUEMAKING A PROFIT RIGHT AWAY. THE BUILDING, OVER4000 SQ.FT., WITH LARGE PARKING LOT, IS AVAILABLE FORLEASE OR PURCHASE. OWNERS ACCOMMODATIONAVAILABLE ON SITE. THE BUILDING WILL BE WORTH$1,000,000. NOW OFFERING BUILDING AND BUSINESSTOGETHER FOR 900K. OWNER AVAILABLE DURING TRANSI-TION. [email protected] OR CALL MON-FRI904-399-3939 BEFORE 9 AM OR BETWEEN 5 AND 6PM.EST.
LOS ANGELES PHOTOGRAPHY/Production Studio, locatedin the Artists District. Bldg. is 19,000 sq ft free standing on22.000 sq ft of land. It is concrete tilt-up with dock highloading, built specifically for a photography and production studioin 1978. Exacta Photographers, Inc has been a successful businesssince 1970, grossing an average 1 million per year. Fully equippedw/hot lights for TV commercials and strobe equipment forfashion, etc. 7 air conditioned sets (10,000 sq.ft.) a fully equippedcolor lab/computer stations/executive offices, huge inventoryof backgrounds for sets, cameras, lens, etc. Owner retired. Agreat opportunity for the right person. For info call 626-445-7459.
FANTASY STUDIO FOR RENT. Not ready to buy, wanting torelocate and test an area? This is a studio unlike any other. Nowyou can afford to be the best with minimal outlay. Completewith lights, wardrobe, props and 5000 sq ft of movie setbackgrounds. Unlimited creativity and an exceptional oppor-tunity to be the best you can be. Colorado Springs, Colorado iswaiting for you. www.ljm-photography.com. 719.593.2424.
BEAUTIFUL 1 1/2 acre River Frontage property in EAGLE,COLORADO with two cabins, one a Photo gallery theother a 3+ bedroom cabin with deck right over the river.Another building serves as a frame shop and storage.According to some old time locals it used to be a stagecoachstop on US Route 6. Well established high-end clientele for15 years. Live & work right out of your home in this growingmountain town just west of Vail. A turnkey operation in aparadise setting. Visit my website at crabphoto.com.Listed at $775,000. Call Mike Crabtree at 970-390-9500.
BABY PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO chain for sale in TEXAS.3 stores, franchiseable concept, proven profitable, mgmt in place.Will sell all or part of the corp. Next 2 studios scheduled forSan Antonio. Working closely with [email protected], 361-548-7615-Jay, www.portraitclub.com
STUDIOS WANTEDCOLUMBUS CAMERA GROUP, INC. buys whole studios or anypart including cameras, film, darkroom, long roll, lighting, and misc.No quantities too small. Call 800-325-7664. Ask for Eric.
ProductMallSOMETHING HERE YOU NEED...
Adorama (www.adorama.com) ............................97, 105, 107, 109Advanced Photographic Solutions (www.advancedphoto.com) ...121Albums Unlimited (www.albumsunlimited.com) .......................122Allied Photographic & Imaging Lab (www.alliedphoto.com) .......117American Color Imaging (www.acilab.com)..........................67, 119American Student List (www.studentlist.com) .........................123ARK-LA-TEX Color Lab (www.altcolorlab.com)........................120Asukabook USA (www.asukabook.com)....................................55B & H Photo-Video (www.bhphotovideo.com) .....................90-91Backgrounds by David Maheu (www.backgroundsbymaheu.com)....126Bay Photo Lab (www.bayphoto.com) ..................................57, 119Boulder Pro Photo
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Publisher not responsible for errors & omissions
PROFESSIONAL
116-129-gallery 10/9/08 8:48 AM Page 14
130 www.ppmag.com
very year, 6 to 8 million dogs and
cats in the United States enter animal
shelters. Three to 4 million of these
healthy but homeless animals are
euthanized. PPA member Judy
Stimson, owner of Best Image
Photography in Tampa, Fla., blanched
when she heard this grim statistic. Surely,
she thought, she could find a way to help
these would-be pets connect with families who
would care for them.
Two years ago Stimson undertook volunteer
work at a no-kill shelter in her area. One day
a week, she photographs the incoming dogs
and cats, then tries to get the images published
in local newspapers, displayed on television
and posted on PetFinder.com. Because poten-
tial pet owners can be reluctant to visit shelters,
Stimson feels such publicity is critical. “When
somebody sees a pet in the paper, on TV or
online, the picture must speak to them,” she
says. “It takes a balance of making the home-
less pet look adorable and vulnerable at the
same time. I want people to start bonding
with the pet as soon as they see the picture,
so they will take action leading to adoption.”
Stimson says the work is challenging, yet
highly rewarding emotionally. “When I photo-
graph clients’ pets for my business, the animals
know their name and basic commands, and
there’s somebody in the pet’s life that it’s
bonded with and listens to,” she says. “With
homeless pets, we rarely know their names,
they don’t respond to commands, and there’s
nobody they know and trust. As a result,
their behavior, combined with the shelter
environment, makes it a tough shoot.”
By reaching out to a potential audience
in the millions (PetFinder.com alone has more
than 500,000 hits a day), Stimson has helped
unite families with hundreds of dogs and cats.
She realizes, too, that the problem of dog and
cat overpopulation requires a solution. She
urges pet owners to spay or neuter their ani-
mals. “Unfortunately, there’s no way to adopt
our way out of the over-population prob-
lem,” she says. “But once the animals are
here, they deserve humane treatment. There’s
a saying I live by in my volunteer work: ‘The
victims can’t speak. The pictures refuse to
keep quiet.’ I think that says it all.” !
See animals available for adoption atwww.petfinder.com. The Humane Societyprovides information on pet adoption andspaying and neutering: www.hsus.org.
Images wield the power to effect change. In this monthly feature, Professional Photographer spotlights professional photographers using their talents to make a difference through charitable work. goodworks |
©Judy Stimson
Share your good works experience with us by e-mailing Cameron Bishopp at [email protected]
Publicizing petsIMAGES SPEAK VOLUMES FOR HOMELESS DOGS AND CATS
E
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&
© Christopher Gill
Profoto-USA.com 914-347-3300Distributed by MAC Group
The Profoto ComPact line has really revolutionized the way we work. They’re easy to travel with, set up quickly
and deliver an absolutely neutral white
color output, accurate from shot to shot.
The neutral light helps today’s digital
cameras deliver files that require little
to no color correction. Clients tell me
my work is seemingly three-dimensional,
that it pops off the page. Even more
important, they say I’m the first
photographer they call. That means my
lighting style has carved out a niche in
a crowded marketplace.
ComPact Kitsinclude a FREEcustom case, two umbrellas and two light stands.FOR MORE DETAILS VISITWWW.PROFOTO-USA.COM
Christopher Gill
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